The track at Awapuni was a bottomless bog and as testing as seen in living memory especially considering winter has not yet begun. The feature Listed mile today was run and won in 1:51.21 with some very tired runners at the finish seeing a fifteen lengths spread from first to last at the post. The time actually made even worse reading when in the event prior, a Ratings 75 (or two grades below Open Class plus another likely from Listed grade) ran 1:50.44 or over four lengths superior. Danza Lad a known winter mudlark outslogged his rivals third up and was winning his ninth race in thirty-four starts with six of them now coming at the mile. He was a G3 winner in October of 2013 at 53.5kg so today at 53kg was nicely situated and with this gelding the wetter the better. Duffers Creek ran a sound second and tried hard but gave the winner 1.5kg and this was the first time he had ever contested a blacktype race. Taurus ran on for his usual solid effort to get third and he does earn the bulk of his money on wet ground. St Ransom led and held onto fourth beaten just under three lengths, so considering he was out of his depth on paper it showed how heavy ground is quite the equalizer. Bonny Heights, also out of her depth, battled on well to the line too a nostril behind St Ransom. Thorn Prince buckled under his weight after trying again to improve closer in across the top and swim hard the run home but it came to no avail today. The other two distant finishers were either outclassed or not seasoned enough. Hard to take the form seriously as it only becomes of use when they are running miles in over 1:50 and that is unheard of over autumn and is not a regular occurrence over winter at most tracks too.