This capacity Listed 2040m Open Handicap saw a lightly tried 4yo mare Ladies First at her first try over middle distance win convincingly. She was able to sit eighth or ninth and wide throughout (albeit with cover in the main) and then moved up ominously centre track turning for home and then surged into the lead with 250m to run. Ladies First was winning today her sixth race in ten starts and the last two have come at Listed level. She started a clear favourite and won by almost four lengths to clock 2:14.46 plus notably all her wins have come on heavy ground. Zartan, which races well here, settled buried back on the inner then worked off across the top and ran home well for second. Pacorus, the pacemaker and second favourite, fought on okay once headed for third and could not give 6kg to the winner or the runner up either. Blathwayt ran home okay from well back for fourth while Balham fought on soundly too for fifth after also settling down back but was wide (with cover) from midrace onwards. Endure had a slipped saddle from a lap out and boxed on okay for sixth after sitting handy the inside throughout. Bel Sorriso was noticed running on late from the rear duo and wants looser and heavier footing and to be on less biased or loam-specific tracks. Maygrove had a hard run wide handy throughout and then challenged across the top so was always going to feel the pinch under topweight of 60kg. Prince Of Passion at his first try over ground was back and wide on settling and got to sixth across the top before the overland effort took a toll. Nashville and Alinko Prince plugged on late but got too far back and never really looked realistic hopes at any stage. The winner Ladies First had won a Listed even against all comers prior to today carrying 53kg so to get that same minimum again made her a weight special. She had this field covered very easily and on wet ground when fully fit would keep beating these senseless while so well weighted. Her big test will come when the tracks improve so unless the early Spring or all of it is an extended wet season then her options become limited.