This Prestige Steeplechase over 4000m just like the Hurdle feature earlier in the card saw a leader win and in fact the first two on settling form the quinella. The Big Opal soon led and was three to five lengths clear for most of the race until his stablemate Sea King that had been chasing him got very close across the top. The pair drew miles clear of the rest with The Big Opal winning by a length and a half in 4:56.50, with a comparison being the opening race maiden chase at this trip taking 5:04.54 (almost fifty lengths inferior). It was the tenth win from sixty starts by rising 10yo in The Big Opal of which eight have come as a jumper (seven as a steeplechaser and one as a hurdler). Sea King, the topweight with 71kg carried 4kg more than his stablemate and tried hard to make a race of it. ' The rising 12yo got within a neck at the 600m and showed the fight he is known for and also demonstrating that steeplechasing is nowadays his best leaping assignment. Shamal got back then moved into a very distant third at the 600m and held that spot easily but was almost seventeen lengths from the winner. Thenamesbond was always running second or third and then was fourth across the top and had every chance while Zardetto ran fourth and was fifth at the 600m and also had his chance. Chocolate Fish got back and never looked a possibility and ended up sixth beaten over twenty-one lengths. The rest got beaten over thirty-five lengths up to fifty-seven lengths so many will sleep well for days afterwards. The clear cut favourite Wise Men Say ran a shocking last and after being fifth early kept drifting back and dropped out last with 1000m to go. He needs bottomless footing all over the place and the figure-eight circuit at Trentham sees them go through the infield multiple times and that ground is rarely used and much better footing than the course proper. Also this is a flat course and Wise Men Say likes a hill, as he did when climbing one three times to win the Great Northern Steeplechase (6400m) last year at Ellerslie. Ellerslie has been closed for several months getting a drainage makeover and therefore the 2018 Great Northern will be held at the flat circuit and heavily sand-slitted track of Te Rapa, which does not help Wise Men Say one iota defend his crown. However he is only getting warm after 5000m so does pass plenty of stoppers for the remaining 1400m. The track bias and footing today greatly helped the on pacers and both feature jumps races saw the clear cut quinella come from the first two on settling, so the results are somewhat misleading.