This G3 Open Handicap mile had a 7kg spread from the top (60kg to the bottom 53kg) and once again a mare prevailed as is the norm for New Zealand racing at all levels. Coulee led then trailed and took advantage of a blatant track bias almost the entire day regards winning and surged clear at the 200m to score comfortably. Her length and a quarter win came in the poor time of 1:37.94 which showed how off the track presented today really was and performed. The win was her eighth in twenty-six starts and her second G3 success at a mile. She had beaten her own sex in April of last year but today put away all comers at clearly a distance favoured. In five starts over the mile she has won three times (two wins at G3) and finished a close third at Open Class and sound fourth at Listed level. Her stablemate Tommy Tucker gave her 6kg and ran a brave second after being wide seventh albeit with cover and then striding up to take the front at the 300m. The form of the 8yo this season has been six starts for two wins and two seconds. Son Of Maher the hot favourite was a track bias victim and ran home powerfully for third but never ever looked a win chance on settling. The 4yo is better than his current just four wins from seventeen starts indicates but his racing pattern may need to be adjusted now in the Open grade and he can clearly do it too. Meursault the 7yo mare has a dreadful record at the mile of never paying a dividend in nine attempts and maintained that but ran a good fourth coming from worse than midfield on settling. Aspen Lass ran on okay late from the back and the 4yo mare has not been disgraced at her last two blacktype outings. Timy Tyler was not too bad considering he was handy wide working early but the real unsung effort had to be Stokers Rock in seventh beaten five and a half lengths. He was ridden by an apprentice and at this level that is almost always a negative and today was no different as the gelding was wide and working sometimes four-wide and then moved into third deep from the halfway mark. He was right there across the top and did not chuck in the towel completely the run home, so as long as he had a good sleep afterwards will be winning again soon better handled. Pretty Good Excuse was okay and Lochan Ora and Miss Three Stars are improvers. This was a G3 field but that covers many of these are sprinters in a mile event so that weakens the overall worth and significance once you drill down. Coulee has more wins in store and Son Of Maher does too while Aspen Lass and Stokers Rock should be scoring if not next time out then very soon. The race should provide a good source of winners this season and into next for South Island feature events and Open grade for sure.