This Prestige Steeplechase (4900m) was held on an incredibly testing heavy Ellerslie track and saw Lacustre win comfortably and record just his second ever win over the big fences. The track was so deep the Benchmark85 1200m to start the day and with first use of the track almost ran 1:19 and a Benchmark 72 over the mile nearly clocked 1:47, so it was a deadset bog. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were sixth (four-off the inside and two and half lengths from the leader), led (three-off the inside and a neck ahead), fourth (six-off the inside and five lengths from the leader), second (ten-off the inside and four lengths away), led (three-off the inside and a length ahead), led (five-off the inside and a length ahead) and led (ten-off the inside and half a length ahead). Lacustre raced sixth mostly biding his time in what was not a very strong field at all and saw a staggering six of the field not finish (three pulled up exhausted and three lost their rider). The 8yo then moved ominously into third the last time on the hill and led turning for home then drew away to score by five and a half lengths in a very slow time of 6:41.09. It was just his fourth win in thirty-five starts and two of those have come as a steeplechaser. In eight runs over the bigger fences he has only missed the top four once. The Arabian Duke ran on well from back on settling and he was just a two-steeplechase winner coming into this. Kokanee Gold, a 13yo that had deadheated for first in his prior start and that was his only steeplechase win to date, incredibly ran third showing the lack of real depth in the field. The fact he led on the hill the last time puts some of these to shame. Max found the 68.5kg on this bog track a bit much (the first three home all had 65kg) and he ended up fourth beaten eleven lengths. Raisafuasho disappointed when fifth beaten sixteen lengths though it was his first ever look at the Ellerslie hill two times over and he should at least be aware of the energy-sapping double climb for next time. Old Countess got well back as usual but just plugged for sixth and only two other runners finished in Perry Mason (beaten over thirty-two lengths) and Wise Men Say (beaten over thirty-six lengths). Perry Mason won this last year but the key is it was held at Te Aroha owing to Ellerslie being closed for remedial repairs and there is no hill at that flat track plus the trip was 700m less too. Old Countess ran second in that Te Aroha running last year and she got found out by over the hill today twice too. The rest never finished and Kings Kite was the most scary after three fences as his rider lost an iron the first fence then lost them both the second fence. He then tried to re-gather his irons in some semblance but fell off after the third fence and one of his feet got caught in and iron and saw him dragged for a small distance but thank heaven he came away from his mount as life and limb would have been lost otherwise. This was a weak field overall when a one-steeplechase winner can easily beat a two-steeplechase winner and a 13yo one-steeplechase winner that was last start and a deadheat to boot can finish third.