This G3 32000m under handicap conditions saw a ding-donger finish with two North Island trained runners separated by a nose at the line and Dragon Storm prevailing on the minimum of 53kg. The 6yo gelding ran favourite and after racing relaxed in tenth spot he was angled up the middle part of the track and was let rip. He reached third at the 200m and led at the 100m then had to hold out a serious challenged by Lincoln King, which he did by the barest margin. The winners and where they came from on the home turn were twelfth (six-off the inside and four lengths from the leader), tenth (twelve-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), eleventh (eleven-off the inside and four lengths from the leader), tenth (six-off the inside and three and a half lengths from the leader), fourth (six-off the inside and length and a half from the leader), second (seven-off the inside and a head from the leader), tenth (five-off the inside and five lengths from the leader), eighth (six-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), fifth (seven-off the inside and length and a half from the leader), tenth (nine-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), sixth (six-off the inside and eight and a half lengths from the leader) and fourth (six-off the inside and two lengths from the leader). Not one leader won all day and almost all of them came from well back such was the tired nature of the track come this the last day of three meetings in a week. Dragon Storm is bred to stay and win stamina events but he has needed time and today was just his fifth win in twenty-three starts but this season he has won at 3000m and then today at 3200m. He clocked 3:21.52 in winning by a nostril flare today and clearly the more sedate trip and opposition suited him Lincoln King with 1.5kg more was beaten by the smallest margin possible and he is better than his five wins in seventeen starts indicates. He raced thirteenth on the outer then was wide across the top and deep turning for home before being unleashed. Stamina is his calling with seven runs at 2200m or more resulting so far in two wins, a nose defeat second and close up fourth and fifth and a respectable sixth. He has only failed once in a stamina event and that came on a bog heavy track. Third home was another North Islander in Hurry Cane that raced eleventh the inner then poked right through closer in to lead on the home turn. He was run over the final 100m but it was a game run indeed by the 8yo as he was ridden by an apprentice and was second up a week later. Fourth home was Dr Velocious, the first South Island prepared runner to cross the line. He was almost four and a half lengths from the winner at the line after racing midfield the inner then worked off across the top and he kept coming to reach fifth at the 200m and fourth at the 100m. The Good Fight ran on well from fifteenth on settling and he was angled second widest turning for home. He sustained a solid finish to be beaten less than five length. Robusto the 6yo mare that won over 2500m here at Listed level the first day raced fifth or sixth then went up deep before the home turn and reached third before wilting from second at the 300m. There was then a gap of five lengths back to the next finisher Riviera Rock that was of course all up beaten almost a dozen lengths. This 6yo from the deep South raced second then third and led on the home turn before weakening. The margins started to get bigger and bigger afterwards with over thirteen and a half lengths to eighth in Nesta and the last runner home was Divine Duke that walked home beaten over sixty-seven lengths. There were a lot of very tired non-stayers in the field and quite a lot of older horses too. This was a G3 event but certainly no higher as many of these were beaten turning for home in a far from taxing time. The topweight Major Tom ran fifteenth and was beaten fifty lengths for example. The best three horses bar The Good Fight filled the top three berths and they would do so again and again no matter how many times you reran this race.