This G1 mile under the WFA scale drew an ordinary line up with many of the field nowhere near this grade and out of form too, with the winner unsurprisingly was a mare and easily in the 4yo Danzdanzdance. The track at Trentham was presented as a Slow and saw some tepid times run all day. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were second (length from leader), led (neck in front), led (head in front), fourth (length and a half from leader), fourth (three lengths from leader), second (neck from leader), led (neck in front), fourth (length and a half from leader) and twelfth (five lengths from leader). Danzdanzdance, an Australian bred, was one of six mares in the field and the lightly tried 4yo ended up obliterating this lot by four lengths in 1:36.58. She was back early then got into sixth wide but with cover midrace and in a superb striking spot before being let stride up deeper and fourth turning for home. Her surge then saw the lead taken at the 250m and then the mare humiliated them to record a third win in ten starts and of course today was her first Blacktype win and came at the pinnacle namely G1. Danzdanzdance had been G1 placed twice but up until today had won a maiden race on her home track and Benchmark82 (six grades inferior to G1), also on her home track. So today was also her force success away from home. She had run third prior to this at G1 under WFA over 2040m behind Savvy Coup (outclassed twice in Melbourne at G1 and G2 and beat home a total of three rivals in those two races). The Cox Plate flop by Savvy Coup saw the mare run her race in the parade ring and the occasion got too her and she melted big time so that is a forgivable seventh of eight runners but the thirteenth of fifteen runners against her own sex was poor. It puts perspective on what Danzdanzedance beat today and very easily it should be noted as a two-win mare only prior, so the depth at WFA in New Zealand is at an all time low. In that G1 2040m under WFA event won easily by Savvy Coup that Danzdanzdance ran third in there are three runners that day that give more proof as to what the actual depth is in fact at the moment. Authentic Paddy finished second today and this 9yo that seems to run in everything all year around ran tenth beaten eight lengths in that October G1 over 2040m at WFA event. He has not won a race for a year and it came at G1 over 2000m at WFA when allowed a soft lead at Ellerslie and since then has raced fourteen times for three placings. Authentic Paddy did it tough today being eighth and wide then moving up third wide in the open near the lead midrace and in effect giving the winner a dream tow to near the home turn. The fact he could box on for second does not make the rest look much chop at all. However the 5yo mare Our Abbadean should have run second today rather than third and was stiff not to do so. She was between the leaders early then got eased only to lose her position badly and ended up eighth surrounded midrace and ninth in traffic turning for home. The mare had to be angled wide for clear air at the 300m and then unleashed hard to go from seventh at the 100m to get third on the post. Our Abbadean had run a game closing fifth (beaten four and a half lengths by Savvy Coup and two lengths by Danzadanzadance) in that G1 2040m at WFA race at Hastings in October, so is more ample proof of what that race level in fact today really was. The runner that did not run today but finished sixth in that G1 20240m at WFA beaten a half neck more than Our Abbadean was the on pacer handicapper (Our) Big Mike and he completes the puzzle. (Our) Big Mike has since run in Australia three times for two placings (in an Open Handicap and a Benchmark90) and then last start led throughout to win the Pakenham Cup at Listed level. He is a handicapper and on speed runner so manmade track bias assists him but more so the level this 6yo really is outside New Zealand and the fact he could be just over four and a half lengths behind Savvy Coup at G1 under WFA over 2040m is very telling indeed. Ocean Emperor finished fourth today and missed the G1 placing on his stallion resume by a nostril flare. It was the third time he has tried G1 this season for a sixth equal (1400m), an eleventh (1600m) and now a fourth, with the 1400m seeing him a nose behind Savvy Coup and the mile saw him five and a half lengths behind Savvy Coup. Ocean Emperor worked a bit early then sat outside the leader then took over turning for home only to headed at the 250m and then was third with 20m to go and swamped into fourth on the line. Kolonel Kev fought on okay for fifth beaten five lengths in his second ever try at G1, with his first coming as a 3yo when fifth in a very weak field at Otaki in 2015. Today was at WFA against allcomers so for him to keeping coming from back and wide says more about the field in general but does bolster the reputation of Te Akau Shark that he ran third behind at G2 too prior beaten over six lengths. To confirm the Te Akau Shark kudos we saw Boots 'N' All finish sixth today beaten just over five lengths and prior he had run second beaten six lengths at G2 behind that 4yo tangerine maneater. Boots 'N' All was tackling G1 for the first time today and at WFA, so to keep coming from back and wide was commendable but saying much more about the depth of opposition. This 6yo four starts ago finished eighth at G3 beaten almost eight lengths behind Te Akau Shark so has not really improved but has struck comparable depth. Jon Snow was an awful one-batting seventh and the fact he missed away a smidgen then had to be booted up and through early saw the favourite for the race never ever travelling. The 5yo worryingly has not won a race now for fifteen months. Dark Princess was running on down the outer from last turning for home at her first ever G1 race and it came at WFA (she had never run at G2 before either). She's Poppy plugged on after being last away and tailed out early but turning for home second last. Dolcetto was held up turning for home when midfield the inner and blocked at the 400m but got out at the 200m and from then on it was an inconclusive tenth. Mauna Kea finished eleventh beaten just over seven lengths so not disgraced after working on the pace wide then taking the front but it says more about the calibre of opposition. Today was his first ever Blacktype race and it came at G1 under WFA plus the 5yo won his maiden on a bog in May of this year and has raced often since to win a total of five races. The fact he could be just over seven lengths away at G1 under WFA is incredibly telling and quite staggering. Darscape Princess was on the pace early the inner then took a trail and stopped while Consensus is surely telling her owners she has had enough with another shocker in finishing last. The 7yo mare has been badly beaten in three runs this campaign and passed a total of four rivals only in those combined events. Her best trip is 2000m so maybe one more outing but bear in mind this time a year ago she ran second in this G1 mile at WFA. The winning time of 1:36.58 was nothing to write home about but the last race, a Benchmark72 (seven grades inferior) was won in 1:37.61 (six lengths inferior) by a 4yo mare in Lincoln Raider auguring well for his future. The least tried runner and fewest race winner in Danzdanzdance daylighted this nowhere near a G1 at WFA line up, so at least she has more to come and has more left in the tank but it looks gloomy for most of the others looking ahead. This is not a G1 race anymore or even near it and anything is having a throw at the stumps now with Mauna Kea a prime example. If he is just over seven lengths inferior to G1 at WFA milers then the depth in New Zealand has collapsed. Danzdanzdance was superior today and the 6yo mare Our Abbadean should have finished second, while Jon Snow was surely too bad to be true. Otherwise there is nothing of WFA note in this or any runner with more to come or offer bar perhaps Consensus rising from the ashes of three crushing defeats this time in. The only upside out of the race is Danzadanzdance being a 4yo mare with hardly any mileage in the legs but this was nowhere near a G1 standard and is probably G3 outside New Zealand or even Listed grade.