This Prestige Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) saw It's A Wonder score by a short neck after a real ding donger over the final 200m. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were third (four-off the inside and one length from the leader, sixth (eight-off the inside and four lengths from the leader, led (three-off the inside and six lengths ahead), third (ten-off the inside and a length from the leader), led (six-off the inside and a length ahead), led (six-off the inside and half a length ahead), led (eight-off the inside and a length ahead), second (ten-off the inside and a neck from the leader), fifth (eight-off the inside and a length and a half from the leader) and second (six-off the inside and a neck from the leader). It's A Wonder was second early but soon tool up the running and went clear before being just a length ahead across the top. The 10yo had one serious threat turning for home and after real tussle the last 200m dug the deepest and prevailed in 4:33.91. It was his ninth win in fifty-two starts and his fourth win as a steeplechaser. Two of those now have come in Prestige events with today and the Grand National (5600m) in August last year. He has yet to miss the top three in six steeplechase starts. Delacroix raced fourth then third and looked ominous today turning for home second but try as he may the 11yo could not quite overhaul his rival 10yo. Zedman the favourite led early then raced second chasing the eventual winner and moved up stylishly across the top before being third turning for home and ending up almost a dozen lengths from the winner at the line. Zamora raced sixth mostly and was a distant fifth turning for home and a distant fourth at the 200m but really hit the line well and almost got third money. Four more runners finished in a field of thirteen with fifth home beaten almost nineteen lengths and eighth home beaten over sixty-two lengths. Five runners did not finish with three pulled up at various stages while Napoleon crashed through the outside wing of the last fence and lost his rider. Raisafuasho suffered a left fore tendon injury 1600m out and was pulled up with the 13yo retired as a racehorse thereafter too. He had been for many years a warhorse leaper for the late Ken and Ann Browne and a last remaining legacy of that jumping powerhouse, albeit now in a different yard, Ken (MBE) and Ann were a history making couple that for decades set and maintained a very high performance bar with jumpers.