This Listed Open Handicap over 2147m saw a $42 winner beat the hotpot on the line in very testing wet ground that got worse as the day went on at Riverton. Lil Miss Swiss had only won three races prior to today but revelled in the bog like conditions and came from last early to nail in the last stride Orepuki Lad that was going for first to achieve the deep South Cups treble this season. The winners and where they came from turning for home in race order were fourth (two-off the inside and two lengths from the leaders), seventh (eight-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), fifth (five-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), eighth (twelve-off the inside and two and a half lengths from the leader), second (ten-off the inside and half a length from the leader), twelfth (last and twelve-off the inside and five lengths from the leader), fourteenth (fifteen-off the inside and five lengths from the leader), co-leader (thirteen-off the inside) and third (thirteen-off the inside and a length from the leader). Lil Miss Swiss had prior to today won a Benchmark72 Jumpers Highweight so that was a jump of four grades at least and at her second ever Blacktype attempt. She failed in a Listed race as a 3yo filly when eighth of nine beaten twenty lengths. The now 5yo mare won her maiden at 1400m but her other three wins have came at 2147m and 2200m (twice). After settling down last she was steered the widest runner turning for home and came with a sustained finish in clearly the better lanes on a sodden and testing track. Lil Miss Swiss looked set to be second with 100m to go but after getting one width outside the favourite Orepuki Lad caught him on the line to score by a nose in 2:21. Orepuki Lad raced second and then attacked across the top before taking the lead with 500m to go in an almost over-confident ride. He was steered wide and was clear the run home looking unbeatable but amazingly had left a width or two lanes outside him and got nailed on the line when that avenue really should have been blocked and cut off prior. The favourite usually leads and outstays his rivals by a margin but after being keen second the go button was pushed a long way out and he was a sitting duck. The 5yo gelding had won the Dunedin Cup (2400m) and Invercargill Cup (2600m) earlier this year and missed the deep South Cups treble by a nostril. Kilowatt, a stablemate of the winner, settled back then swept into fourth turning for home and reached third at the 250m and held that position comfortably to the line. Smiling Assassin, a four-win galloper, ran on gamely for fourth and came between runners late to be beaten just under five lengths. Shakti and Timy Tyler were very close up either side of Smiling Assassin and the latter was big after being wide working all the way plus he too is a stablemate of the first and third runners home. The rest got beaten ten lengths or more and were exhausted by the awful bog footing presented and to show how energy-sapping it was the last runner home got beaten over fifty-five lengths. If you run the race 100 times over then Orepuki Lad wins it 99 times but that is why horse racing throws up the inexplicable. It was not a strong field at all and contained a heap of very old gallopers but Orepuki Lad is a serious stayer and the best stamina galloper in all of the South Island and likely most of the North Island should he venture up next season.