This was a dubious field for depth and the younger stayers in the race had not put there hand up so far this season as the older brigade keep winning but they cannot go on forever. Surpass was battling in Australia of late and the fact he could outstay and win this G3 says all you need to know about the current lack of stamina depth in New Zealand at the moment. He was fourth in a G3 Hobart Cup beaten four lengths under 54kg so winning this at G3 under 55.5kg is alarming and a true does of reality. The 6yo gelding sat second the outer on a usual massively manmade biased Te Rapa and even when third outer across the top was going better than anything. His rider Opie Bosson surged to the lead early the run home and had them well covered thereafter. The winning time of 2:27.33 is a reasonable gallop but caution must be adopted as they were going bionic times at Te Rapa all day. The runner up Tempelten is very good clockwise but any form he has left-handed must be treated with a pinch of salt. Including today the 7yo has had nineteen starts left-handed for just two placings and both have come here at Te Rapa. Third home was one of five younger stayers and a mare unsurprisingly, the strength of New Zealand racing every season, in Decorah. The fact the mare was put in the race and trailed a lap out got her into the money as the manmade track bias was rampant. Te Rapa is the most biased track in New Zealand from New Plymouth and Tauranga but Avondale, Te Aroha and Wanganui are not far away regarding the North Island. To find a non-biased track in New Zealand now is near impossible with the over-watering and incessant false rail movements at epidemic levels where nothing gets compacted. Delago’s Secret came with a tremendous finish down the outer from the back and his effort was super taking into account the manmade track bias. He is a 4yo, so there is hope yet, but the older stayers keep showing up the youngsters at the moment and we are into summer now. Show The World, another 4yo, boxed on okay but had every chance and since being ridden cute is not the same horse it seems. When the rider takes off a long way out and sits wide this horse seems to perform better. The only other noteworthy run was The Fire Inside late down the outer for ninth as the mare was ridden a poor tactical race by Mark Du Plessis. This 4yo mare can be backed with confidence next time out and a riding change could help too. A shocker was The Tidy Express, who after settling back never hit out and while the manmade Te Rapa bias is a factor she does like this track so should have done better. Deane Martin was a disgrace and he has beaten just one horse home in his last three runs so something not right there. Then again massive form reversals happen not just weekly in New Zealand racing but daily much to the chagrin of a dwindling local bettor/customer base so there is hope. Not sure the form in this is serious with such a manmade biased track but if it is then the staying ranks in New Zealand are at an all time low when Surpass can come back from Australia and win at comfortably at Group level.