This Listed 2000m event under Handicap conditions had a 7kg spread from top down to the bottom and as has been the norm this season in particular the higher weighted runners cannot cope. The ability gap between those in or near the minimum is not as vast as 7kg or something similar and confirms the current glaring lack of stamina ability and depth overall in New Zealand racing. This was run at a reasonable clip for the calibre of runners involved and saw the quinella come from the back, namely Show The World win by a nose over Our King Sway, which was totally against the track bias all day. This was a two-turn race and that more often than not negates track bias either naturally occurring (wind, rain, heat, etc) or manmade (rail movements, over-watering, etc). Show The World came with a sustained finish down the outer from eighth on settling to just get up and clock 2:03.08. It was the first win for the now 7yo since January of 2015 when he won an Open Handicap over 2000m with 54kg. Today he had 53kg so was on the minimum and was winning his sixth race in thirty starts. Our King Sway has only won four races but incredibly had to give the winner half a kilo and that mattered in the end as he came home hard from ninth on settling The also 7yo has not won a race for a year and is a wet tracker in reality so the track presented today with ample cut in it was ideal. He has in eight races this season of the current campaign returned just three placings and while a shy winner he has placed in almost a third of all his starts and been top four in twenty-two of thirty-six starts or two thirds of his career. Rangipo and Nicoletta were thrown in having competed at G1 prior to today and they ended up third and fourth at the line so were in effect disappointing. Rangipo has not won a race for almost two years so has forgotten how to salute it seems and after sitting in a great spot fifth not spending a penny he was sent up third across the top and challenged turning for home. He hit the lead at the 200m and that is too soon for him these days as non-winners for years do revert to type when the challenges come and they did here the final 50m. The 5yo gelding fought on but third was his lot beaten just under a length and maybe if let loose a tad later he could have fallen in to win this. Nicoletta was second or third the outer mostly and had every possible chance. She fought on okay for fourth beaten just under a length and a half but that 2000m is the hurdle she cannot quite clear. In six starts at 2000m to 2400m she has placed twice, finished fourth three times and fifth once, so it is not for a lack of trying but maybe she is a miler only. Von Tunzelman against just ran a fair race and he is now a real hit or miss type and in his last eight runs has won twice (with 54kg and 55.5kg) and missed six times. He kept grinding on for fifth today beaten over two lengths and the 58kg seems to be his problem now in Open grade. Diesel raced fourth the inner and once worked off sixth across the top fought on not too badly from seventh at the 200m and was beaten two and a quarter lengths. Heavens Keep was third wide for a while then took the lead but was headed turning for home and weakened to be beaten over four lengths. Five To Midnight was an ordinary eighth and coming back to 2000m from 2400m in his last three starts never helped plus carrying topweight of 60kg was the kiss of death as it is in New Zealand stamina events these days. The depth is not here anymore and more so in stamina events and that is getting shown up blatantly, which causes bettors to wager less through lack of trust so it is a vicious cycle. Clarify sat last and was never in it but all his form has come when put in the race a long way out so yet another runner that makes bettors scratch their heads. Sacred Rhythm stopped badly to finish last after leading then trailing and the 4yo mare was in form but stepping up multiple grades and could not cope. Weak race and field and so many shy winners with several almost having forgotten where the winners stall is anymore. The weights determine these sorts of races now and as the depth is not there the bigger weights are dead on arrival at the stalls sadly nowadays. They are simply not good enough to carry the impost and give away so much weight to others even if those lighter weighted runners are not of this grade or out of form, which screams no stamina depth whatsoever. A handicap is supposed to level the playing field for all but in New Zealand at the moment it is like manmade track bias in that half or more of the field are no chance whatsoever before the gates open. The G1 Auckland Cup (3200m) in a few weeks will be nowhere near that standard and G3 at best plus might not be a full field but because of a moratorium regarding staying ranks and depth retains the race rating and that makes no sense. Hong Kong and Singapore have no real stayers and hardly any staying races and none past 2400m while Australia have a few up to 3200m but do have several International standard events and at least are getting their breeding blood more stamina focussed. New Zealand has gone backwards for breeding stayers that needed time as most 3yo male or female winners are not actual stayers once they are 4yo’s and racing all comers. The bookmakers that open early Melbourne and Caulfield Cups markets in Australia make the 3yo male and female Derby and Oaks winners favourite or very short but they have won a lot less than the fingers on one hand in the last three decades, so they are making money for jam or old rope. The baffling and out of the blue stayer moratorium only therefore suited New Zealand and the Auckland Cup and that makes no sense whatever way you slice and dice it. The rating numbers for the 2018 Auckland Cup will be like for many years in a row now and glaringly substandard, so the race is not getting stronger but in fact weaker and has been on a decline for much of this century. A delay or suspension to get your house in order, or the definition of a moratorium, will not have any effect regarding stamina racing improvement for New Zealand and five years will make no difference. Political decisions solve nothing as actual results on the ground or in this case over ground is the only yardstick to measure improvement and real progress.