The result of this race would have been entirely different but for the trailer being angled off near the home turn on a day where the manmade track bias at Te Rapa was rampant towards the pace and more so the inside. Soriano won it narrowly from three back the fence but if Lauren Tate ridden by Leith Innes stayed the inside turning then she would have had to come around several heels and her margin was not enough to have done so and prevail. The pace was solid enough and the winning time of 2:01.45 decent although they do run bionic times at this venue and have broken two minutes for 2000m. Soriano is a sit then pounce mare so everything panned out in her favour and she went from sixth near the home turn through to fourth in a 100m and then the leader rolled off. It was her second G1 win and at middle distance she is in her realm with an imposing record of consistency. She has from 1800m to 2100m raced fifteen times for four wins, seven placings three fourths and a fifth so you know what you get with this run on mare. The mare got a similar run last spring in the G1 2040m at Hastings under WFA and drove through the fence sure to win but was beaten into a close third by stablemate Costume. Costume was tried in Melbourne after that win and was beaten out of sight so you have to be realistic. The mare today narrowly beat Nashville who has forgotten how to win it seems and he too was tried in Melbourne a couple of springs ago at handicap level and finished tenth albeit not beaten too far. These formlines do have a habit of repeating and proving themselves over a long term. Fast Dragon led and fought hard for third and he is just a two-win 4yo so almost managed the step up today at G1 under WFA but manmade track bias did play a role. He was tried four times in Sydney as a 3yo and found wanting badly every time so while he has logically matured it is a form fact. Fast Dragon should clean up in New Zealand now he has shown WFA does not faze him and with the ability to lead it augurs well as that is the most apt style for this type of racing. Lauren Tate is the whole key to the race and her fourth finish at G1 is a bitter pill to swallow as while it will show up on her catalogue page she should have for sure a G1 blacktype placing at least. The mare is more than useful and there are only so many chances at G1 blacktype so trainer John Morell, who bred and owns the mare, must be aghast on the inside. She had the trail and that was one of the money spots and fast lanes all day on a blatantly manmade biased Te Rapa but her rider Leith Innes still angled three-off near the home turn. The fact the mare got held up immediately and went from third to fifth and blocked losing momentum then needed to be angled wider to get clear air and lost another place is the crux of the whole race. Lauren Tate ran on well for fourth beaten just under two lengths and lost at least double that in that fateful move. She also left ajar the winning fence run for Soriano with the most alarming thing being after a two length lead on that runner coming up to the home turn she was two lengths behind it in just a 100m. You cannot ever give that amount away at G1 and especially under WFA. Lauren Tate would have placed for sure and may have won if squeaking through on the fence in a driving finish as she is a decent mare. The one certainty is that Soriano would not have so only Nashville or Fast Dragon then could have saluted. The race result was determined in that 100m of just before the home turn and soon after straightening up. Surpass a handicap stayer ran on okay late and is not a WFA horse so he is cherry ripe for his main target the G1 Auckland Cup (3200m) in early March. Pondarosa Miss was better today compared to the Trentham shocker prior so at least the backrunner can still chase G1 spoils this year. Breaking Dawn is a handicapper and fought on for seventh beaten three and a half lengths but that was more due to racing third and liking this sand-slitted track. Perfect Start was found out at WFA versus all comers while Shuka ran an absolute shocker and worth noting he was second in the G1 WFA race at Hastings last spring that saw Costume win and Soriano finish third. This field lacked depth and the result was tainted by the fact it should have been different but luck and opportunity can never be begrudged horse and rider, as you still have to be good enough to grab it. Soriano will be tried overseas sooner rather than later and whether she can match up in stronger depth G1 fields at WFA has to be debatable on formlines. The one thing in her favour is being a mare she can thrive with the trip away and if the races are strongly run it helps her style. It all comes down to whether she is good enough and the G1 WFA form in New Zealand can be relied upon. Lauren Tate hopefully will not miss out the next time she runs at G1 as a placing let alone a win would have increased her foal worth ten times so it really does matter these split decisions.