This G3 over 3200m was narrowly won by the Soleseifei, a 7yo mare that sat tenth and wide with cover before moving up fifth wide at the halfway mark and into third across the top. She would take the lead turning for home and then just repel the finish of The Good Fight that had raced ninth early but lost his place badly to be fifteenth midrace. The Good Fight boomed home from eighth turning in and was still fifth at the 200m and just missed winning at the line by a short half head. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were second (four-off the inside and a neck from the leader), led (one-off the inside by a length), fourth (four-off the inside and length and a half from the leader), fourth (on the fence and length and a half from the leader), third (three-off the inside and a length from the leader), led (on the fence by two lengths), sixth (six-off the fence and four lengths from the leader), led (one-off the inside by two lengths), led (three-off the inside by half a length) and seventh (three-off the inside and four lengths from the leader). Soleseifei was winning her fifth race from twenty-nine starts and today was her first start in a Group race and would be a winning one at G3. She had two more runs after today for a close up seventh at G2 in Avondale Cup (2400m) and then an eleventh beaten over twelve lengths in the G1 Auckland Cup (3200m). The Good Fight was one more stride away from winning and would after today run a game sixth in the G1 Auckland Cup (3200m) and then be spelled. Today was just his eighteenth start and of those he had won only three races. Prior to today's G3 placing he had been placed at G3 over 2400m, so is more than capable of handling the stamina ranks in New Zealand at the moment. Toms would run third and was just a short head and half a lead from winning the race, after racing thirteenth the outer and reaching ninth midrace. He came from seventh on the home turn and unleashed a hard finish to be third at the 150m and then go done narrowly. The then six-year-old gelding would fail miserably at his next three starts that included the G2 Avondale Cup (2400m) and the Listed NZ St Leger (2600m). A distant fourth home was Cead Mile Failte that had raced third in the trail early but ended up seventh on the fence midrace before working off and improving from seventh across the top to the fifth turning in. He reached second at the 200m but faded to be fourth at the 150m and ended up four and a half lengths from the winner at the line. ' Dragon Storm was midfield and wide midrace before moving up fourth and four-wide at the 800m only to drift back again and be tenth and the second widest runner turning in. The fact he got his second wind and boxed on again to be fifth and beaten five lengths said a lot about his stamina. He would weaken in the G2 Avondale Cup after this and then fail badly in the G1 Auckland Cup (3200m). Kamanda Lincoln would be running on from fourteenth on settling and the same turning for home and he boxed on okay to finish sixth a lip behind the fifth finisher. Excalibur sat second last then went around the field five-wide to lodge a bid at the 800m before his effort took a toll and he was fourth turning for home and then he weakened the run in. The fact he was beaten just over five and a half lengths showed his stamina was okay but he too would fail at his next two starts as well, in the G2 Avondale Cup and G1 Auckland Cup (3200m). King Of The Dance was next home but beaten over eight lengths and beat home narrowly the duo of Sampson and Artiste. Dezella plugged on for eleventh beaten just over nine lengths then the rest came home beaten eleven and half lengths and as far as seventy-two lengths. There were some very tired runners at the end of this 3:20.03 run race and many of the field could not simply stay or were outclassed or a combination of both things eventuated. This was a substandard field and befitting its G3 rating as the best finisher at G1 in the Auckland Cup (3200m) was the runner up The Good Fight that finished sixth. Too many tired and some non-stayers contested this race and made it an even weaker field affair than usual.