The G2 Avondale Cup used to be a late spring, early summer event when run at Avondale but now is run at Ellerslie and used by the Auckland RC as the lead up race for the G1 Auckland Cup (3200m) eighteen days later. The winner Farm Boy will not contest the Cup this year but the good news being he is a 4yo so has time on side. The last three reasonable depth field staying races in the North Island have been encouragingly won by 4yo gallopers starting with Maygrove in the G2 Wellington Cup (2400m) then Show The World in the Open Handicap Hamilton Cup where he beat Farm Boy. Farm Boy won by a nose today to record his fifth win from seventeen starts and he has been consistent too with a top five finish in fourteen of his outings so far. King Kamada finished hard late to go down a nose and it is worth pointing out for form perspective he was fourth in the Wellington Cup won by Maygrove. Rock Diva ran home well for a very close third and she is a 4yo mare that has not won this season surprisingly but is going too soon. El Soldado rolled back the clock with a rugged fourth and was less than half a length from winning. The 8yo was second in the 2013 G1 Auckland Cup behind Sangster. Candle In The Wind ran on eyecatchingly late while Show The World was a tad disappointing as he hit that flat spot again the run home he has shown in the past. Pondarosa Miss was a decent run and the mare has the ability but settles down so far back it means many things have to take place such as no track bias, the race pace needs to be solid and she cannot find any traffic. She can swim though so is a weather wager. Saint Kitt ran on well and is a live chance in what is looking more and more like a substandard field for the 2015 Auckland Cup. He finished sixth in the race last year. Graphic was okay as was Blizzard but they do need to find a couple of lengths at least in just over two weeks. All in all a reasonable guide but just as the G1 Avondale Guineas was earlier in the day, you need to factor in a few things that matter such as manmade track bias with the rail being out 7.5m. The winning time of 2:29.75 is nothing special at all and several runners in this were flat as a pancake the run home. Remember the rail will not be out 7.5m come Auckland Cup day at Ellerslie and with an extra 600m to negotiate it really does make this 2400m lead up impossible to trust wholeheartedly.