This G1 mile for fillies and mares only saw an out of form Nicoletta score at $37, when the second to outsider in the field, on a day where you could not be too far away turning for home even though the run home at Te Aroha is 500m. The winners and where they turning for home in race order were seventh (the inner and three lengths from the leader), third (the inner and two lengths from the leader), fourth (five-off the inside and a length from the leader), fourth (four-off the inside and two lengths from the leader), second (three-off the inside and a length from the leader), sixth (seven-off the inside and two lengths from the leader), led (one-off the inside and half a length clear), led (one-off the inside and three lengths clear) and co-leader (two-off the inside). Nicoletta was clear in the lead and unchallenged but not running anything special sectionally and she had a three length buffer across the top to the home turn. The 5yo mare still had a two length lead at the 200m and then just held on at the end to score by a long head in 1:35.14 and record just her fifth win in thirty starts. She had in her five races prior to today finished sixth once and seventh four times, so while a heavy track caught her out twice she was not showing anywhere near her peak form. The mare won a G3 last October fresh up for the season and then second up finished runner up at G2 under WFA against allcomers then her form started to taper off thereafter. Her overall record shows she is a shy winner but she has G1 placed more than once before today and in fact ran third in this race last year and interestingly her form was tapering off a tad then too with back-to-back sixths. She has had plenty of mileage in the legs as having had thirty starts already for a 5yo mare shows but she got that elusive G1 today by being the only leader in the field and racing on a rather biased presented track. Supera from the ace raced fourth the inner and then was fifth the inner across the top to the home turn before coming though closer into fourth again at the 200m and the reached second at the 150m. The 4yo mare closed gamely stride-by-stride the closing stages but missed and has had a stellar season so far of three wins (including once at G3) and a G1and a G3 placing. Luvaluva the raider from Sydney ran a game third and having to be used up wide early likely cost her any chance of winning the race. She was sixth wide away and worked up third the outer after almost 400m but used some petrol before getting one-off and then she settled third on her own midrace and across the top. The 4yo mare was a shade closer turning for home and still third at the 200m and 100m but she kept coming and giving and ended up beaten a length. Volpe Veloce again missed out on a G1 top three and the favourite had every possible chance after settling fifth the outer with cover behind the third finisher in the race. She moved up fourth turning for home but lacked that ping or surge and ended up beaten almost three lengths but more importantly she was almost two lengths from the third finisher. She now has raced ten times at G1 for a single win at 54kg in a set weights and penalties 1200m and has run no placings. The mare has finished three times fourth (one in the same race she won her G1) at and the other two being this result and a WFA 1400 against alllcomers). Her record is very telling indeed at this level regards depth met and race type and actually being of this level genuinely as nine misses is an awful lot. Le Castille raced second and was in fact towing up the pack chasing the clear winning leader, so her effort was not too bad first time in the big leagues. Sandrine ended up racing sixth the inner and battled on not too badly while The Real Beel is a total forgive after she got sandwiched with 100m to go when about to spear though with something to offer. Concert Hall battled on late after settling back in her first try at G1 at just her tenth start so she will come back next season a more furnished and polished product. Hasahalo found the WFA at G1 beyond her paygrade at this moment plus her racing style of settling back then surging is not conducive to the biased way this track almost always races. Our Abbadean is ditto and they did not go fast enough overall to allow her to do her thing, while She's Poppy settled down last on her own and was always struggling to even tack on. The track bias of the day showed and the first five on settling in this filled those positions over the line with leader beating the trailer and the third the outer runner then came the fifth the outer with cover runner and the second and chasing runner. Nicoletta held on because her racing pattern and the track bias gave her that boost needed whereby no pressure was applied on her at any stage plus for her record her price showed just how ordinary she really had been racing of late. What she does now and where she goes is anyone's guess but with that G1 now on the dance card unlikely to be bettered so maybe the broodmare paddock beckons. Supera was good and she is a G1 winner in waiting while Luvaluva but for doing that work wide for almost the opening 400m counted against her but she tried hard. Volpe Veloce was disappointing overall and again at the highest level she was found a tad wanting under WFA, so where too now for her is up in the air as well. Le Castille and Sandrine both showed they will be stronger forces next season but bear in mind that they are the same age as Supera and she had them well covered today. The Real Beel after being awkwardly away and crowded was again an eyecatcher and a G1 placing may have been cost by that door slamming on her at the 100m. No runner in this was disgraced and lots of winners will come out of this but the biggest talking point of this the only G1 for fillies and mares in an entire season and now the last G1 of the New Zealand season, was the manmade track bias presented as usual. This Te Aroha is a big roomy track and very flat so bar a topping the rise homestraight addition happening to bring the field back together again nothing is going to change.