This G3 Open Handicap saw Vernanme score a comfortable win after racing a distant second chasing the tearaway leader Camino Rocoso. The 5yo gelding was still five lengths away turning for home but kept coming resolutely and led at the 50m to score by a length and a quarter in 1:47.82, which shattered the course record held prior of 1:49 by Bonjour in 2006. The winners and where they came from on the home turn were second (neck back the inner), second (one-off the inside and a neck back), led (four length lead on the fence), third (one-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), third (one-off the inside and half a length from the leader), second (one-off the inside and a head from the leader), fourth (one-off the inside and two lengths from the leader), second (one-off the inside and five lengths from the leader) and sixth (four-off the inside and four lengths from the leader). It was just the fourth win by Vernanme and his second this season. He has won at Listed level in Open Class in the Spring of 2019 and had placed second equal at G1 and third at G2 as a 3yo. Second home was the Australian bred Fiscal Fantasy that settled well back ninth and turned for home sixth but distant albeit coming wider at the 200m. The 6yo mare ran on strongly to get second on the post. Third home was the tearaway Camino Rocoso that led up and was at some stages eight lengths clear and running them along before being caught and headed at the 50m. A slipped saddle the run home never helped his cause. Paisley Park ran on well fourth beaten just under two lengths after racing sixth the inner and he fought well when reaching fourth at the 200m. Polzeath finished fifth beaten just over two lengths after racing third or fourth the inner. Go Nicholas raced in the rear duo but ran on wide late and was beaten just under three lengths. Shadows Cast raced fourth the outer mostly and wilted to finish seventh then there was a gap to Sherrif, which ran on well from a distant eighth on settling. Sheriff was the stablemate of Concert Hall that was set to start a very short favourite in this but she dropped the rider pre-start then went for a tiki tour and some fence ploughing away from the track. Concert Hall was late scratched looked to have done herself serious injury but the early prognosis is she will be okay once some superficial cuts and bruises heal up. If she is all okay to run in a few weeks then the mare is very lucky as she showed that jumping things is not her forte. Platinum Invador was next home beaten just under five lengths and disappointed while Bluey's Chance, the South Islander raider, plugged away from the rear duo on settling. Watch This Space had a horror run wide third and then fifth and was struggling when seventh across the top before stopping. All In Vogue settled back and was last across the top then dropped out to finish last beaten twenty-nine lengths. This was a true run affair and the winner Vernanme while massively inconsistent was in the right place at the right time and enjoyed the solid clip. To show this current crop are not separated by much and in fact as a group inferior by a margin to past stars the Listen Open Handicap win by Vernanme in September of 2019 is rather relevant. That day at Pukekohe he hung on after leading to beat Concert Hall (which carried 1kg more and has been a G1 winner) and third home was Fiscal Fantasy plus this trio was superior to the rest.