This Prestige Steeplechase (4800m) saw the local Perry Mason turn defense into attack and win the case. It gave his Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal yard the Prestige double as they won the Hurdle with No Change earlier in the day. The track at Hastings was slow and the rail out 7m and raced very biased all day towards on pacers. The winners and where they turned for home each race in order were second (on the fence and half a length from the leader), third (five-off the inside and two lengths from the leader), third (four-off the inside and half a length from the leader), fifth (four-off the inside and two and a half lengths from the leader), led (four-off the inside by a neck), led (eight-off the inside by five lengths), led (twelve-off the inside by three lengths), led (three-off the inside by a length), second (one-off the inside and a length from the leader) and second (one-off the inside and half a length from the leader). Perry Mason was always in or near the lead and took total control near the halfway mark and never relinquished the front thereafter winning by two lengths in 6:11.79. It was the eighth win from fifty-two starts for the rising 10yo gelding of which five have come as a jumper (four steeplechases and one hurdle). He has the enviable record of nine steeplechase outings for four wins and three seconds with the only times he has missed the top two being due to falls. His Prestige record is now four runs for two wins and two seconds. Chocolate Fish, also a rising 10yo, raced fourth mostly before moving into third across the top and reached second with 100m to go in his usual keep on coming and grinding away style. Zardetto, a stablemate of the winner, raced in or near the lead then once headed by the eventual winner was second at the halfway mark then third a lap out. He moved into second a 1000m out and chased in vain before a wilting third at the 100m and ended up six lengths from the winner. Shamal sat last and never really looked a possibility before plugging on into fourth beaten eight and a half lengths. Kipkeino raced handy the inner but weakened to beaten over eleven lengths and needs wetter and deeper footing and the same applies for Wise Men Say that was beaten over forty-one lengths. The Oysterman raced fifth but dropped out quickly and was pulled up at the halfway mark. The first two home formed the quinella in the Great Northern Steeplechase (6300m) in June albeit the other way around and it has to be noted the race was held at the flat track circuit of Te Aroha, so no three times over the Ellerslie hill. Wetter and deeper footing is needed by most of this field and the youngest runner is a rising 9yo so there were no new kids on the jumping block appearing today.