This G2 Open over 2000m under set weights and penalties saw a 7yo Jacksstar, which had not won a race in since 2016, beat a pair of 9yo's in Sampson and Authentic Paddy and it sums up the current middle distance and stamina ranks at the moment in New Zealand. The same horses keep running for years and years and will eventually get a turn again if no depth ever comes through and this is exacerbated by barely any breeding for stamina happening anymore. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were led (one-off the inside and half a length ahead), eighth (one-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), ninth (on the fence and three lengths from the leader), fourth (five-off the inside and two lengths from the leader), fifth (six-off the inside and length and a half from the leader), seventh (seven-off the inside and four lengths from the leader), led (on the fence and a length ahead), sixth (four-off the inside and three lengths from the leader) and led (one-off the inside and a length clear). Jacksstar raced sixth the inner and was worked off turning in then surged when through at the 300m to reach fourth at the 200m then second at the 100m before leading with 50 to go. The gelding won by a short neck in 2:02.03 to record his seventh win from thirty-nine starts and of that tally three have come at Blacktype with a Listed then G3 win in 2016 and now a G2 win in 2019. After he ran third in the G1 Auckland Cup (3200m) in March of 2017 he had serious health issues and was not seen on raceday again until November of 2018. Sampson has never been racing better and this 9yo (he will be a 10yo in a few months) has won at Listed level easily twice this season and today almost won at G2. He raced seventh the outer then came up wider turning for home and unleashed to reach third at the 200m and then second with 25m to go. It is clearly the depth he is meeting nowadays is substandard and by being kept in work his trainer and owners are being rewarded. Authentic Paddy ran a fighting third and the also rising 10yo raced third the outer then attacked 600m out and led turning for home. He only got headed the final 50m and it is worth noting the last time he won a race was Boxing Day of 2017. Dolcetto settled way too far back but ran home stoutly fourth after turning for home eighth and the deepest runner out. He likely wins the race if not so far away and wide near the home turn and maybe if the ground was a fraction more forgiving underfoot would have helped too. Rock On, the stablemate of the winner, fought on well from well back the inner. Shadow Fox, an 8yo, led up and was headed turning for home but kept fighting hard and was still fourth at the 100m before being swamped late. The rest got beaten six lengths and up to almost ten lengths with the two big flops being Giovanni Canaletto and Saint Emilion. This was not a G2 strength field at all and in fact nowhere near it so Listed or G3 at best and most of these have seen each so many times this season and over the last few years they must be getting sick of the sight of each other. They do have turns and not one of them has had domination over the rest for very long if at all as on any given day several of these can beat each other under identical race conditions. The much the same muchness factor tells you the field lacked genuine depth and contained many rare-winners or long time between drinks saluters. The younger brigade are not coming through at all and the saying of a rising tide lifts all boats cannot apply in New Zealand gallops at the moment as barely any wave has been sighted coming through for years regarding depth and a changing of the guard.