This was an evenly run G3 for 3yo gallopers and the G1 NZ Oaks form stood up best over the G1 NZ Derby form by providing the winner Exquisite Jewel and third finisher Charmont. The winning time of 2:02.49 while nothing super was over a second and a half (nine lengths) faster than the G2 event held later in the card for older gallopers. Exquisite Jewel had finished a brave fourth in the G1 NZ Oaks (2400m) at her previous start and today was wide for the majority of the race before swooping up near the home turn. The way she sustained her run to win by almost a length was admirable whatever way you slice or dice it. It was her fourth win in thirteen starts and stamina is now clearly the key asset she possesses. Her win as a juvenile on wet ground in the autumn too it should be noted came over Savoyya (3 wins since and two of them at G2) and Red Striker (2 wins and a G3 placing since). Werther ran a game race for second and being out of a Zabeel dam helped for the distance today with the promise of more to come and extra ground able to be handled. Charmont after a third in the G1 NZ Oaks tried hard with the same placing today and she is by the super sire High Chaparral and has as her second dam the daughter of Zabeel in Champagne (9 wins including two at G1) that ran a game second in the 1998 Melbourne Cup. Redeem Code ran a sound fourth after doing early work while Kolonel Kev ran on okay from well back. Dee I Cee that had run a strong closing fourth in the G1 NZ Derby (2400m) at his prior start found the line very late from well back for sixth after losing his place across the top. Some reasonable running on efforts came from the seventh to eleventh finishers in Vive La Difference, Jonquil, Lucoblu, Andaluci and Francis Drake. Overall a reasonable depth field and lots of winners to come from it especially next season as this race usually does provide plenty of future worthwhile results.