This G1 over 2000m at WFA saw a male galloper dominate at the finish namely the Great Britain bred 8yo gelding Royal Performer. He absolutely bolted in to score by two and a quarter lengths in 2:02.08 and today was his first attempt at G1 it should be noted. The winners and where they came from on the home turn were led (on the fence and a length clear), fourth (four-off the inside and two and a half lengths from the leader), led (one-off the inside and a neck in front), sixth (five-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), fifth (six-off the inside and four lengths from the leader), second (two-off the inside and half a length from the leader), third (on the fence and a length and a half from the leader), fourth (one-off the inside and three lengths from the leader) and fourth (one-off the inside and a length and a length and a half from the leader). Royal Performer won twice as a juvenile in Great Britain then won over 1700m as a 3yo before heading to Hong Kong where he could only win twice more. He arrived in New Zealand for the 2020 season and the now 8yo has thrived winning three times in Open Handicap mile events before his last start G1 bolt in performance. His record now stands at nine wins from twenty-nine outings and this old horse has found his calling in New Zealand and is meeting suitable depth too. He could only win twice in seventeen Hong Kong outings it needs to be said again. Second home was The Chosen One that ran on well after being back and wide and then easing to seventh the outer before taking off deep across the top. The 5yo entire sustained a strong run to get second at the 25m and considering he was fresh up the ground work had been done as he now is headed to Australia as per usual. He ran third in the G1 Caulfield Cup and fourth in the G1 Melbourne Cup last season so sticks on like glue once the distances increase. On The Rocks has been awful for ages in New Zealand since winning at G1 in February of 2019. In fact he failed four times after his G1 win and two of them came in Australia then he won an Open Handicap fresh up in New Zealand over 1400m and then he flopped for his next ten outings. Today was his first dividend paid in eleven outings when he was third beaten just over three lengths after racing sixth the inner and being seventh turning for home. Beauden raced second then led before he home turn only to be caught at the 200m to wilted to fourth beaten almost three and a half lengths. He was still second in a gap at the 100m then got swamped the last 25m. Sinarahma ran on well late after settling back eighth and was beaten just over four lengths. Sixth home was Tiptronic beaten almost six lengths and he raced fifth the outer and was wide near the home turn but was found to have been galloped on. Camino Rocoso, usually a leader, raced last on settling and then went around the field fast to be third wide across the top only to weaken the final 150m. Charles Road settled second last and was rear and wide turning for home before plugging away but was beaten seven and a half lengths. Melody Belle at $1.30 a win was atrocious and after racing fourth the outer in a great spot she was sixth turning for home partially hemmed in but not really travelling that well. She did not like being in a bumping duel and stopped badly to be beaten over eight lengths in the worst outing of her career in New Zealand since she finished last in the G1 Telegraph Handicap in January of 2019. The run was an absolute shocker for a 6yo mare that has been winning so easily in New Zealand for so long beating nothing of any real note. However her Australian form is more telling and as it stands she is thirteen starts for two wins (a G2 juvenile on a bog at Eagle Farm and a G1 fillies and mares only field on slow footing). Remember her New Zealand record right now is twenty four starts for sixteen wins. Deerfield led up and ran last beaten over a dozen lengths and when you consider he was a G1 third behind Melody Belle at the start beforehand it does put the of opposition into proper perspective. This event summed up the true New Zealand state of depth when an 8yo reject from Hong Kong that was on comeback from injury could blow away a G1 field at WFA in New Zealand. Today was the first time Royal Performer even attempted a G1 anywhere in the world and the fact it came as an 8yo in New Zealand really does say it all. This result alone says it all regarding true depth and the lack of serious racehorses for a while now partially in New Zealand for almost all this century but Australia has been bereft of legitimate performers too for a while now. Melody Belle was awful and if she fails again next time out then some big calls will have to be made as she is not racing serious depth in New Zealand. The fact the connections are so desperate to break Sunline's G1 record says it all but she is still to win a G1 outside of New Zealand against male horses too and that is the difference between real greatness and not. Sunline was the mare of the world with two G1's in New Zealand, a plethora of them in Australia and even one in Hong Kong too. She never got beaten in New Zealand but Melody Belle is just a multiple race winning mare. Sunline missed the top three just four times in her career of 48 starts and all the defeats came at G1, with her last start resulting in a fourth in the Cox Plate. Her three other misses were a seventh in the G1 Hong Kong Cup, a fourth in the G1 Epsom of 1999 and a fifth in the G1 Queen Elizabeth of 1999. The difference in class is as clear as night and day.