This Listed 2100m Open under set weights and penalties drew a weak field and most of the nine runners were out of form totally so something was always going to get lucky today. The recipient was the 7yo mare Consensus, a former G1 winner, that carried today incredibly the bare minimum of just 53kg so she was as pitch-forked into the race as good as ever seen. The track at Trentham today raced majority biased towards on pacers and the inside few lanes were clearly faster strips all day. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were led (neck on the inside), second (neck back the outer), led (inner and a length clear), led (inner and half a length clear), tenth (one-off and four lengths from the leader), led (inner and half a length clear), eighth (three-off fence and three lengths from the leader), fifth (inner and four and a half lengths from the leader) and tenth (four-off the fence and five lengths from the leader). Consensus led up and was left alone and never had any pressure applied whatsoever before sprinting the run home to win by three and a half lengths in 2:10.77. The 7yo mare did it on memory almost as her last win came two years ago in an Open mile under 59.5kg, which shows dropping to the minimum today was mind boggling. It was her ninth win from fifty-one starts so she has had plenty of racing plus today was her first win past 2000m, as her best distance parameters had been prior 1600m to 2000m (five wins in total). She was tried three times in Australia last Autumn and never paid a dividend being beaten big margins (six lengths, eight lengths and four and a half lengths) but they came at G1 twice in Sydney and once at G2 in Queensland at the Gold Coast. Consensus is a year older now and Winx is still around plus some potent younger gallopers so the Sydney Autumn from a mile to 2400m is well and truly covered if attempted again at the top level, so it looks another exercise in futility. Lowering the sights is the logical aim if the target is ever to be hit even on the outer bands, as no point missing the dartboard completely for the sake of it. Hank Moody, a noted gunner, ran on solidly for second and his last win came a year ago in a Benchmark 65 (five to six grades inferior). He ran seventh in this race last year but was able to get a second at G3 this time showing just how weak the field was and that the race should not be afforded this status anymore. Chance To Dance started favourite with 56kg and the 9yo had not won a race since November of 2017 but today he was wide early then got up outsider the winning leader after a third of the race had been completed. He could not quicken the sprint home but was still second at the 200m then third at the 100m and held that to the line. Kamanda Lincoln raced handy the inner and battled away for fourth but was beaten five lengths. High Quality raced fifth the outer and one-batted like most the run home to stay in that position. Sylvester settled down last and was warming up the final 50m and the rest were ordinary and basically outsprinted or outclassed. This was a very poor field and the only surprise was why Consensus was not odds on at 53kg in a race that had no real other leader. The fact a 9yo started favourite that had not saluted since 2017 says it all about this field and it should not retain G3 status if line ups like this are to be the norm from now on.