The main talking point was once again how dreadful the Te Rapa track was presented and how unfairly it raced with an outrageous manmade on pace bias and a ridiculous amount of kickback on the over sand-slitted surface. Most runners each race are no chance whatsoever the moment the gates open and now the kickback is so absurd that many runners are now giving up and not putting in, so bettors are rightly fleeing in their droves. When excessive sand of all things is affecting a bettors money they protest with their dollars and also the amount of people on course at this meeting today was incredibly sparse as well. It was an embarrassing day all around and the G2 WFA 1400m feature is tainted and worthless as a guide such was the unfairness of the track that is all a manmade thing it must be emphasized again. The eight race card saw five winners lead turning for home, one runner turned for home second and two had the audacity to win from fourth and fifth turning for home albeit not too far away. Melody Belle fresh up got a sweet run fifth the outer and was deliberately steered fourth wide across the top into clear air to stop that damn kickback before turning for home close up and ready to pounce. The 4yo mare by the Aus racehorse and now sire Commands likes wet ground but she took the length of the run home to get up on the line and win by a nose in 1:13.90. It was her sixth win in thirteen starts and five of those victories have come at Group or Listed level. The win today was her first in Open Class against all comers and at either WFA or under Handicap conditions. Julius, a lightly tried 7yo, sat second the outer and then was third near the home turn before striding to the lead at the 150m only to be nailed on the line. It was his first time at WFA and he had his chance to win with the manmade track bias and having residual raceday fitness all advantages for his racing style and pattern. The big whopper of a horse it should be noted is unbeaten on dry tracks and has two very close seconds on dead ground so is almost undefeated on better footing therefore he wants fairer track conditions. Also he won his lone 1400m outing, so the G1 1400m at WFA at Hastings on September 1 should be the next target with good health and soundness permitting. Authentic Paddy ran on solidly for third and the 9yo actually shows this race and form is untrustable completely after running in it the last three years now for a third today, a fifth last year and a third before that. It was his eighty-fourth start today and he had fifteen starts last season so is in for another busy schedule as usual. Francaletta fresh up was wide early and went up third deep then caused a rival to clip a heel and be badly hampered. She then pressed on to be second and was asked for plenty in the running and actually led before the home turn but the overland effort and early push of the button told and she was headed at the 150m. The 6yo mare then was third at the 100m only to lose that finishing position the final 10m. Underthemoonlight, the winner of this last year, was tardy and third last away then came the deepest and ninth turning for home. She ran on okay to be fifth at the 100m but she had little hope after the gates opened with the manmade track bias today. Seventh Up fought on for sixth while the 8yo fresh up former Singapore galloper War Affair was a decent seventh beaten just over five lengths. He was wide then got hampered after 300m and then was wide still and eighth across the top to the home turn but was boxing on okay considering his age and not having raced for eleven months. Vinevale was awkwardly away and second last at the jump before battling closer while Elusive Treasure was back and four-wide mostly so did well not to drop out. Charles Road the stayer resuming got warmed up very late after settling back due to an awkward start and Close up, after being last away, plugged on. Start Wondering was a colossal flop after racing handy the inner and he did not put in the way the track was one iota and this now 8yo needs decent footing for sure. He was unbeaten here including twice at G1 prior to today but does not let go anymore on tricky wet grounds it seems, which is what many older horses do as they instinctively try to look after themselves. New York Minute stopped after being on the pace then leading and it was either WFA against the males proved too much or the footing was not wet enough. Contessa Vanessa after being hampered and clipping a heel at the 900m kept drifting back and stopped fast to be a clear last the 200m. The track was too dreadfully presented and manmade biased to garner anything from this G2 race today sadly and the vast majority of runners that flopped can be forgiven. It is unacceptable for a track to look and race like this when hosting a Group race. Bettors want a fair chance for their money and not an episode of Waikato Baywatch where the horses are in perennial slow motion getting stinging sand kicked in their faces.