This G1 2400m for 3yo fillies saw the usual suspects over Summer in Group racing provide a first four home that has a very distinct look about it. Bonneval has been the filly that has made winning a habit and today she scored a hattrick having won at G2 and G3 prior so now has the full set. She sat second last the outer and moved wide across the top and crucially missed two fallers before sweeping up third turning for home. Once she led at the 300m then the rest had their work cut out as this filly knows what the winning post is for and ended up scoring by half a length in 2:31.99. Today was her fourth win in seven starts and this year only she has been third at G3 (here) and then won her next three outings for the Group set of success. Bonneval has lifted that extra over her rivals during Summer and now despite winning by small margins can be rightly considered dominant locally. Devise ran a game second and must be getting sick at the sight of Bonneval, which she has finished second or third to in the last three outings and all have come at Group level. Savvy Dreams ran a good third after being awkwardly away and settling well back before being hampered in the double fall across the top. She ran home generously the inside to reach sixth at the 200m and then third with 100m to go. Nicoletta, the stablemate of the winner, had every chance in finishing fourth after a soft run handy the inside. The same first four home from the start before at G3 over 2100m filled those positions over the line today with the only difference being second and third were reversed. The winner, runner up and fourth finisher today have formed the trifecta twice before this year so know each other like the back of their fetlocks. Fashionably was okay for fifth and Vencedora did okay from well back then moving wide across the top. Dame Margot Fonteyn and Korakanui were both fair while Shared Secrets was a tad disappointing considering at her last start win the fourth finisher came out and won the Listed St Leger earlier in the day. Date Night had a horror run wide the whole way so can be forgiven and the South Island filly Zigwig stopped after leading but may have done a bit too much work early. The rest that finished were either outclassed or did not stay. Sadly two fillies fell with Rube Bridges when about to make a move across the top got crowded and clipped heels ahead to hit the deck and in doing so brought down Incantesimo. The good news is both riders were okay and the fillies relatively unscathed in the main but Rube Bridges did receive a fractured nose. The G1 NZ Oaks is nowhere near the influential force it was earlier this century when the best guide for the next season at all levels in New Zealand. The G1 NZ Derby being moved to an early Autumn date has been a main cause and now the top fillies either go there and/or are aimed at Australia chasing the bigger purses and prestige at either Sydney or Brisbane. This race is now second tier and does not get the top handful of fillies anymore so has lost its once deserved lustre.