This Listed Open Handicap over 1000m saw an all run on finish as the leaders went silly up from and overdid it a bit too much. Lady Zafira surged home from the back and was eighth turning in before really zooming into fourth at the 200m and then leading at the 100m. The 6yo mare carried 53kg was winning her sixth race from twenty-three starts and she now has a blacktype win to go with her Listed placing in May this year. The overall consistent mare and her record shows it with twelve placings too likes decent footing as then she can let go properly the run home. Her margin of victory was a length and a quarter and the time 55.87, which sounds bionic and is but always take times at Riccarton from 800m to 1200m down the chute with a big grain of salt. The fastest 1000m run here is also the National Record of New Zealand and is 54.20 by Ticklish, a mare under 57kg, in 2006 so that shows the chute is a little bit too bionic. Five of the National Records belong to the Riccarton chute (800m, 850m, 900m, 1000m and 1100m) to give you an idea and the one missing, the 1200m, the time here is a staggering 1:06.81 in 1996 by Kincaple Lad. The National Record for 1200m is of course set on the other bionic chute of New Zealand racing in Trentham and is 1:06.51 by Bawalaksana in 1999. Kinagat ran on well for second from the back and strode up sixth turning for home before letting rip well and he is up to this grade or slightly higher at least in the South Island and maybe in the North Island. Coup Darci Be ran on from last to show you could not be in the early burn and survive and is a stablemate of the runner up. The odds on favourite First Serve finished fourth beaten almost three lengths and at first glance looked disappointing but several things went against her and she should be forgiven. She was playing up before the race and got worked up a bit too much and then dipped at the start before recovering quickly to sit behind the pace. Then she did not like racing between runners then was reticent to pierce through a gap the run home and on top of all that she was the first runner home that raced near the pace. Reilly Lincoln battled on for fifth and was the next best home from in or near the pace throughout with the leader Super Trouper finishing sixth beaten just under five lengths. Caramac battled on next and the rest came in gaps with the footing or class of opposition a bit much for some. Signify can be totally forgiven however as he was pole-axed out of the race near the home turn when King Montrose tragically broke down in front of him and carted him out of the race. How he passed a few late to be beaten just over seven lengths is astounding. Special mention here to sad demise of King Montrose that was euthanased after fracturing his right hind leg when angled out suddenly near the home turn by rider Opie Bosson, just back from his cut short Hong Kong second stint. King Montrose was a warrior and the 10yo won fifteen of his sixty-one starts from distances of 1000m to 2000m. He won races in every year from 2009 up to and including 2016 and durability and the will to win such as this should be highlighted and lauded.