This was nowhere near a G2 race whatsoever and looks likely to lose its rating if not next season then the following as it simply was a poor advertisement for this standard. It is unheard of to have a G2 Open Handicap and every runner got 7.5kg from the lone topweight Julinsky Prince plus the field of eleven saw just seven go around. Watch The Space has been in good form of late but was rising to G2 here from a last start Ratings 85 win and having a first look over the mile today so to win easily says more about the opposition and lack of depth. The 4yo is an on pacer and can handle most types of footing. He sat third the outer then was moved up to attack wide before the home turn and strode clear at the 300m to win by three lengths and clock 1:38.08 on awful footing at Tauranga. The time was the best of the day not surprisingly on a card of small fields and limited pace or in fact the need to attack as most riders were never too far away on settling to worry. Watch This Space was winning his fifth race in sixteen starts today and at his first attempt at blacktype won a G2 easily. Julinsky Prince won this last year under 58kg beating Kawi and after two wins at G1 under WFA this season looked the class act of a poor field today so to be up just 1.5kg made him look thrown in. However the G1 depth he beat has to be called into question in New Zealand and also giving 7.5kg to every other runner in this looked strange and was clearly a factor. He tried hard but the clear favourite never at any stage looked the winner. Nigelissima ran a sound third freshened up and grabbed that invaluable blacktype while Candle In The Wind was okay resuming for fourth. Francis Drake was fifth throughout while Iwannadancelikehim was outclassed and Matimba ran an almost if not career worst performance. There was coming into this on paper in New Zealand local ratings it should be noted a massive 23 point gap between Watch This Space and Julinksy Prince. The winner demolished the runner up by three lengths so it puts the Julinsky Prince number clearly in doubt and likely jeopardy. This was the worst G2 field seen in New Zealand for an Open Handicap perhaps ever and take out Julinsky Prince and it was not even a Listed line up. A race downgrade looks the only way to start rebalancing some local ratings that are way too high and clearly not justified with the race results and evidence coming all the time in a very damning manner. Until the true level of depth is shown in local ratings there is no reality whatsoever being advanced and internationally it is looking all the more desperate by the Group race.