This G3 miles for fillies and mares under set weights and penalties saw an in form Montoya Star score for her in form South Island yard. Trentham is the one track in all the North Island that South Island trained gallopers perform the best on and today Team Pitman won this and the G1 NZ Oaks later on in the card. Montoya Star looked well in at 55kg as the Australian bred 5yo mare had beaten an Open Handicap field prior at 54kg and defeated the males that day too. She sat sixth the outer then was fifth across the top before coming through at the 300m and reaching second at the 200m. Once gaining the lead at the 100m she held on to score by a long head in 1:35.21 and record her ninth win in twenty-six starts. Montoya Star has won from 1400m to 2000m and on dry to slow footing so is versatile. Symphonic ran home strongly and almost got up from ninth on settling and her surge was good plus it gained her a first piece of blacktype. Flamingo came with a strong finish for third from well back on settling and the 4yo gained her second G3 placing of her career. She has scope galore as when in full plume really does catch the eye. La Fille En Jeu soon led and had company a neck back across the top to the home turn but she kicked away at the 200m only to be run over the final 100m. She lost third money and the G3 placing the final 15m. Sleek Secret sat handy the outer and battled on well for fifth while Donizetti ran home eyecatchingly for sixth from second last on settling. Sugar Rush was not too bad from the trail as the second outsider in the field at her first run at blacktype and over a mile. Slimline had a horror run wide seventh with no cover and battled on okay all things considered to be beaten just over four lengths. Wafer was tardy and in the rear duo at the halfway mark but was noticed running on late. Meritaggio was average and China Star weak while Hello M'Lady stopped badly on footing too firm for her to be a distant last across the line. Bronsteel clipped a heel at the 400m and stumbled badly losing her rider. This was not a very strong fillies and mares field as several are wet trackers and under the set weights and penalties of this it showed with one runner having 55.5kg and every other runner 55kg. For example Sugar Rush and Wager are two-win mares and they carried 55kg like some eight and seven-race winners let along several five-race winners.