The winner of this Listed 3yo over 1335m was a maiden in Air Max that also defied the blatant on pace track bias all day with soft underfoot conditions. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were third (trailed), led (head in front), led (two lengths), co-leader (five-off the fence), led (five length lead), third (trailed), tenth (six-off the fence and five lengths from the leader), co-leader (inner) and fourth (trail inner and one length from the leader). Air Max drifted back wide early and was third last and deep then got a spot or two closer in the running but still stood up the leaders five lengths near the home turn. The gelding then got held up turning in and only got out wider into clear air with 150 to go before unleashing a big surge to bury his rivals and lead with 10m to go. The win by half a length in 1:23.41 was impressive and settling back may have been a key to the strength of his finish as in a prior run when second he sat outside the pace and was beaten five lengths. To show the folly of form in the South Island the horse that beat him five lengths that day and got 3kg from him too ran in this and finished fifth beaten over two lengths and got 2kg from Air Max today. He turned around his form by over seven lengths today and recorded his first win in five starts, which also happened to be a Listed success. Dream Testa ran a game second after racing seventh and wide then ninth and wide before coming up deeper and then surging into second at the 200m and leading at the 150m. The filly was ridden by an apprentice in this Listed race too and incredibly in the fourteen horse field today half of the runners were ridden by apprentices. Weaponry the visiting North Islander unbeaten until today was paying a fraction more than even money and the filly finished third beaten just over half a length. She tried hard to remain undefeated after racing handy the inner. Fire Show ran a game fourth from back and wide and is a winner in waiting as she was fresh up today. Superstatic from midfield the inner on settling fought on okay after taking the shortest route possible but a check at the 450m never helped her cause Frosted soon led and kicked clear the run home only to headed at the 150m and then got swamped late. Highly Unlikely was fair after racing handy while Fox in Socks was noticed running on late from the rear duo. Final Savings got back and plugged on and the rest weakened the run home while the maiden filly Grand Express came home last beaten over sixty-nine lengths. She was on the speed wide working overtime then ran very greenly and dropped out sharply across the top. This was not a very strong field but for the deep South was Listed level in that respect and there will be several future multiple winners out of the race but mostly in their proper grades. Air Max the winner being a maiden drawn wide and covering extra ground does highlight the overall race depth. A maiden winner four races earlier ran better time (1:23.21) and it drew out and was having a fourteenth start for some more legitimate comparison and added perspective.