This G2 3yo 2000m event drew a modest field only as none of the current main Derby players ran here it needs to be noted but the crop this year do look very suspect and untrustable plus once you get over middle distance things can change. The G1 NZ Derby is looking weaker and weaker just under a month out with many names either withdrawn through injury or not likely to stay or trying overseas for more valuable blacktype. Xbox won this by a nose in 2:03.43 after sitting in a good spot fifth or sixth the outer and moving up third wide across the top to get into range before taking the lead at the 300m. The gelding was winning his third race from eight starts and has come good at the right time of the season for sure. Mongolianconqueror was tardy and got well back the inner but really came with a sustained run and just missed at his first blacktype attempt. He had prior finished third at a mile behind Xbox when giving it 1kg incredibly and today at set weights nearly turned the tables. Time Lord ran home strongly from seventh to finish a good third beaten just over half a length. He is out of a Zabeel dam so gets that inbuilt middle distance tick of approval when it comes to the Classic trip. Rock On Wood had run a slashing fourth before today in a G1 3yo mile at just his third start and finished an honest fourth in this but was beaten three lengths. He sat handy the outer and that may have dulled his run home surge as prior the gelding came with a big run from the back. Maktoum fought on okay for fifth but was beaten over five lengths while Steven James was fair only from the trail. Griffin was reasonable but the full brother to the NZ Derby winner last Gingernuts has only won a single race and it came on debut as a juvenile on wet ground. Eitilt weakened after ending up second the outer but The Boy Wonder was not too bad running on from back and wide. The stablemates Dashper and Tavlin never got into the race so will need to be seen again over ground as today was not a true reflection of them and many others in this race. Jimmy Rocket settled back too and was plugging the run home like a few. Ripinhet was outclassed and Speechmaker led up and compounded to finish last. It is unlikely the Derby winner or even placegetters were seen out today but with that field dropping in depth by vast amounts each week you cannot dismiss whatever is around at the moment as there has been no 3yo stand out all season. The stamina picture removes sprinters and those that can get a mile maximum but the frame is even murkier surprisingly as so many are not bred to stay nowadays. It is more likely the winner of the last event today at this meeting over a mile in Mission Hills and his stablemate Vin De Dance that ran sixth are better Derby prospects than anything from this G2 field. The 3yo form this season is either wet track so cannot be trusted or the moment some show up they fail next time out or get beaten convincingly with no real excuses. The 2017-2018 season has been a head scratcher in the 3yo ranks and with so few top of the ground Stakes events to judge from, as wet track form is irrelevant on good footing, plus nothing has stood up or has been able to remain standing out.