This G1 3yo filly 2400m at set weights saw a blowout of biblical proportions for punters regarding the quinella and trifecta as a $21 winner beat a $39 runner and a $79 runner. This race has been the NZ Oaks since 1974 and the winner Sentimental Miss today clocked the slowest time ever and by over two seconds or twelve lengths. The track today at Trentham looked awful and was chipping badly from the outset plus the grass was obviously left too long and added to the overall poor presentation and performance. The times all day (bar the chute times as they are always bionic and not a realistic guide whatsoever) were slack (a Benchmark72 almost ran 1:40 for a mile) and a G3 winner with upside galore ran almost 1:38 for a mile. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were led (three-off the fence and a neck ahead), led (one-off the fence and a length ahead), led (one-off the fence and four lengths ahead), fourth (five-off the fence and a length and a half from the leader), eighth (deepest (nine-off the fence) and two lengths from the leader), seventh (second widest (nine-off the fence) and two lengths from the leader), fourth (seven off the fence and two and a half lengths from the leader), fourth (five-off the fence and half a length from the leader) and second (six-off the fence and half a length from the leader). Sentimental Miss got a nice run fifth the inner not spending a penny more and though seventh across the top she had done not any work unlike many others in the race including a silly cluster that took off 800m out. In a field of scarcely any staying bred or stamina fillies why several riders attacked deep 800m out defies belief including more so when one of them was the favourite Queen Of Diamonds. As heaps of runners were steered very wide the eventual quinella in the race stayed closer in around the home turn and saved many lengths. Sentimental Miss was still five-off the inside but turned for home fourth and only half a length from the leader then kept coming to reach third at the 200m and lead at the 100m. She scored by over a length and a quarter in the very poor time of 2:35.08 to win her second race in eleven starts and obviously her first Blacktype success. The filly ran third at G3 against her own age group over a mile in a very slow run race last November and the winner that day was Crown Prosecutor, the since G1 NZ Derby winner (at massive odds). She has been beaten home multiple times this year by the favourite and third favourite of Queen Of Diamonds and Imelda Mary respectively but they ended up five lengths and ten and a half lengths behind her today. Beyond The Fort won her debut over a mile on February 6 and then won her next start in a Benchmark 65 over 1600m seventeen days later. The fact she could rise 800m and almost win at G1 says more about the opposition and lack of genuine stamina. This filly has size and settled tenth the inner then improved eighth the inside midrace before being held up at the 800m as a few riders went crazy and decided they were on stayers that could move with a thirds of the race still to go. Beyond The Fort worked off across the top but came though closer in near the home turn and saved heaps to be fifth turning for home. She reached fourth at the 300m and second at the 100m and fought well to the line. Her stable is in form having captured the G1 Auckland Cup (3200m) earlier this month with a 6yo mare in Glory Days that will tackle next the G1 Sydney Cup and wants the Rosehill rain to continue onto Randwick. Beyond The Fort looks an ideal staying replacement for the Waverley yard of Bill Thurlow with years of racing ahead. Star Karen was the biggest run of the entire race and only two runners started at a longer price. The Australian bred filly was tardy and settled down last but made a wide run at the 1200m and was fifth and deep at the 800m only for that move to flush out several of her rivals so she was kept and carted even deeper. Somehow she sustained her run to reach third at the 300m and then had the audacity to lead at the 200m which was stupendous in itself. Once headed at the 100m she fought hard for third to be beaten just over a length and a half. The fact she is by Camelot (won the Epsom and Irish Derby) and is out of a Zabeel mare it is not surprise she can stay and likes rain-affected footing. Clementina, still a maiden, ran on stoutly for fourth and for just a twice placed filly from seven starts her record is very compelling. She got back and was held up in traffic across the top but sustained a good surge when into clear air and was beaten just under two lengths. The filly would be at Winx-like odds if ever put back against maidens only. Savy Yong Blonk ran on well for fifth after a rocky run back and being checked across the top. Schist was noticed running on late after being in the rear duo or trio at all times and the filly poked between runners the closing stages. Nerve Not Verve had a wide run back and was four-deep at times so the maiden did well to box on for seventh beaten under five lengths when many others would have chucked in the towel. She is a winner in waiting for sure. Queen Of Diamonds was susceptible like many in this field as a stayer but she has brilliance and was able to get into a dream sit fourth the outer on settling. The biggest shock was when her rider cut the ribbons on the favourite 800m out (a third of the race to run) and attacked wide to the home turn and led at the 400m. It was no surprise she started to wobble and was headed at the 200m and weakened to finish eighth beaten five lengths. Tactically it was the move of a rider on a known proven stayer so was a total mistake and left the favourite a sitting duck the long run home plus whether she can stay or not is still an unknown. Logic says she is not stamina-blessed with such a sharp turn of foot but after being asked to wind it up so far out the jury is still out deliberating on a very puzzling handling indeed. Kinshasa battled on from well back and has a good future while Pinmedown got a lot further back than anticipated and did battle on late but covered excessive ground almost all the way. She was one of many in the race that the respective riders would like a do-over the way they handled their mounts tactically. Rubina had a dream trailed then poked through closest in and attacked for the lead 800m out along with three other rivals that decided to apply some heat at the same time too. She led turning for home and once headed at the 400m weakened out to be beaten almost seven lengths. Elate got back and wide and lost her place to be in the rear trio wide across the top but ran on late and her health issue in the prior start did knock her confidence as before that she looked the real deal. Jakkalbomb found the 2400m a bridge too far while the third favourite Imelda Mary was awful and got too back on the inner on settling as well. The rest got outclassed or had a horror run wide plus the leader and second on settling fillies stopped badly to be the last pair home beaten over eighteen lengths and almost thirty-one lengths. Too many flopped in this to say the track was not a major factor in spoiling the race and result plus some turnarounds of lengths between rivals was simply astounding and it was not all due to a lack of stamina. The time was so bad you do have to wonder if more than just a handful of this field can actually stay, as it looks like more sprinter/milers and middle distance maximum fillies competed and will show so next season as 4yo mares. Star Karen was the stunning run overall and ticks go to the two maidens Clementina and Never Not Verve. The run on names of Savy Yong Blonk, Schist, Pinmedown and Elate all caught the eye and Kinshasa will keep too. This will be a rather low rating Oaks with the proviso many of the runners are not bred to stay or looked mature enough to cope, so they can improve markedly next season but it also gets harder too when having to race the older rivals all the time.