It was a result of all firsts in this G1 at WFA for all comers with the 5yo mare Soriano burying the opposition in what was a backrunners finish of the top five over the line. Soriano was winning her first G1, her first clockwise event and rider Rory Hutchings was winning his first G1 as a jockey. The mare was ridden cold in a race that was run a little crazy at times and definitely messy plus many riders will be ashamed of the tactical nous they failed to show. The amount of runners in this three or four wide throughout defies belief let alone how some riders rode upside down and cost their mounts and others by such attempts at glory seeking. Soriano clocked 2:02.30 which is not great but compared to some of the painful dawdles in this race and for that matter two turn events at this track it was a serious gallop. It does highlight the blatant lack of WFA depth as you need to go two minutes or very near these days to be internationally competitive. Soriano was a close third in the G1 at Hastings this spring over 2040m behind stablemate Costume and that mare got totally outclassed in one Australian run afterwards. The runner up today Weregoingtogetcha is a 4yo with some scope but he nearly won this G1 at WFA after hitting the lead halfway up the home straight. He had prior at G1 in four attempts finished fifth, sixth, eighth and eighth at the top level whether that be as a 3yo or at WFA versus all comers. Today was just his second ever clockwise start after finishing fifth in the G1 NZ Derby this track behind Puccini, which was found out more than once in Australia since too and he flopped in this event today. The ride on Weregoingtogetcha however was a cracker by Mark Du Plessis as he never went around a horse until the home straight and only James McDonald on the eighth finishing mare Scintilluala rode a better race. The actual best effort in the race was the third finisher Pondarosa Miss that also came from well back but around the outer and the mare stomped home late. She looks the real deal and veering excessively wide the home turn and causing some trouble. He can surely see a G1 atop this mare before he calls it a day. Graphic is a handicap stayer and ran on well the inside from the back for fourth and that is another worrying form depth sign. He is clearly on target to defend his G2 Wellington Cup title next month but the fact he could run so well under WFA after a big flop second up does speak volumes. Veyron was uber brave in finishing sixth as the 9yo was wide throughout and working. The old fella found trouble at the start too and must have covered an extra 20m at least in the race. Shuka ran on okay late but the ride was ordinary by Danielle Johnson considering how all the backrunners on settling got in the money or beat it home. Puccini was once again a total pest in a big race. The 4yo is a mad puller and over-racer so either needs to be let rip in front or sit outside the leader or be let relax out the back from the outset and not let get fired up. Colgan went forward early and then when outside the leader and unable to cross locked out a rival three-wide for a while down the backstraight only to let it cross over and seem him become trapped in the middle column. Puccini then was acting like a spoilt brat and caused several runners to be checked or hampered to some extent. Puccini is fast becoming a myth with so many big race flops and trouble-making failure so needs to start restoring his credibility and fast. As mentioned earlier James McDonald rode the perfect race on the handicap staying mare Scintillula when after an awkward start he went the fence and got a saloon trip through. He went from well back to behind the leaders around the first turn and then got out turning for home to pounce. This mare has a big race in her but it may be against her own sex or in a handicap stamina event. Zennista by leading and holding the front spoilt the plans of many other riders with the biggest surprise that no one tested her for longer to see if her pilot would hand up. The lack of belief in the stamina of their mounts is causing so many riders to accept dawdles or stop start races that are messy affairs and it make bettors go elsewhere in a heartbeat. Abidewithme was ridden by Matthew Cameron, the current New Zealand premiership title holding rider. The mare was caught in between runners and getting buffeted then was angled out very wide a long way out and was trapped there plus got sent up even deeper across the top. Abidewithme was the widest runner on the home turn and copped a check so the task given her by the rider was mission impossible. She could have won this race the way the finish turned out if handled as per normal and bettors once again are left scratching their heads about what sort of thinking or planning really does go into this. It is already in the top tier of riding howlers of well-backed runners in G1 events such was the complete misread or hopelessly flawed and doomed race tactics adopted. The mare herself deserves better. Fay Fay was pushed out of the gate early then once the race pest Puccini was allowed to cross him that was the end of any chance. Postmans Daughter is as tough as teak and has been in work and racing for years in a row it seems over all manner of distances. She was wide and working throughout so dropping out to be beaten over twenty lengths is an indictment on the ride and how she may be wanting to become a mum rather than a racehorse. Noble Warrior was the rank outside but was four-wide the whole way having a hard run at G1 under WFA especially since it is a handicapper. She was in imperious form prior but today was wide going forward then three-wide disputing the pace only to get over one-off outside the pace midrace. She was gasping turning for home and dropped out like a lead balloon to finish last beaten almost twenty-five lengths. To say some would sleep well after this event is an understatement. There is no serious wave of WFA stars coming through and the older ones have forgotten how to win or are now once in a blue moon salute. Pondarosa Miss is the one that can keep progressing but being a backrunner she can be a track bias and/or race tempo victim. Soriano now she has broken her G1 duck may get more respect on the track but her racing pattern is also that of sit back and unleash runner. Logic says the race must be treated as very suspect for numerous reasons. The last runner home Sports Illustrated in her prior run won easily at G2 against her own sex and third home was Soriano she beat by four and a half lengths. Today we see Soriano win and Sports Illustrated end up twenty-five lengths behind her under WFA again. Form reversals are a daily occurrence for bettors in New Zealand and massive margins are turned around in one start. Bettors deserve better gatekeepers as huge form turnarounds are now considered acceptable and these things happen apparently, which is not the approach that should be taken towards customers if the drive to increase turnover is the sole business aim. In one start the margin swing has been almost thirty lengths between two mares and even taking into account some extenuating circumstances (bad ride and race finish bias towards backrunners plus the trip being more suitable for one over the other) it is not that big a pendulum shift. Bettors know it too as it is common sense.