The G3 Counties Cup (2100m) saw the herculean performance of the day by Chocante that had the cheek to draw away and win easily. The 4yo was fourth and wide throughout in the open doing overtime and then moved into third across the top before lodging a bid turning for home. He then had the contempt to change gear and take the front at the 150m to win by a length and a quarter and clock 2:11.74. It was his fourth win from ten starts and today he was jumping multiple classes so to score like he did says more about the opposition it would seem. Imagine the margin of victory if he had sat handy the outer one-off as it could have been a space job. El Pistola ran an improved race to show she is a handicapper after sitting second the outer but her conqueror sat another width wider so no excuses can be made. Jiayuguan fought on strongly for third and was coming at the line to almost get second money. When she steps up to 2400m that will be her sweet striking spot and the mare has quickly found New Zealand depth inferior after racing in Australia. She won a 3yo race in Europe before winning three 2400m races in Sydney then lost form before finding it again since coming to New Zealand so will now chase the Summer and Autumn Cups. Megablast was a sound fourth while Chenille was just okay for fifth considering she was the one that kept the winner wide all the way. Zafrenzy and Snow Secret were okay while Candle In The Wind was running home late. Get That Jive was found to be lame in the left foreleg so can be forgiven plus he looked dreadfully in at the weights for a two-win 4yo as second topweight at 57.5kg. The rest were either outclassed or went terrible. Thunder Down Under and Consensus in particular were very poor with the latter leading up and stopping to finish last considering she was third at G1 under WFA versus all comers over 2000m earlier this year. The winner was stupendous and if a 4yo can rise many classes here and sit deep throughout to win with utter contempt then the rest may not be any good or need further plus fairer footing. Expect a brutal rise in the ratings points under the local system used as he came in 22 points behind the highest ranked runner and it finished second last. The staying depths are very low at the moment in New Zealand and in fact have been for quite a while so this 4yo gives hope that a younger brigade may be finally coming through the stamina ranks. The proof will be in the pudding he gets for this win and how he goes in the Summer and Autumn Cups ahead with perhaps targeted at a million dollar bonus series at Ellerslie. The City of Auckland Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie on New Years Day then the Avondale Cup (2200m) on February 18 and culminating in the Auckland Cup 3200) on March 11.