Speak Fondly was fired out of the gates and used up to cross and lead. She was forced to do a lot of work in the early stages, taking a clear lead at the 700m. She had a short breather approaching the home turn but kicked strongly again in the straight and just had enough in hand to hold on a very game effort. Perignon was also away well from the gates but was eased back to settle three wide with a trail in sixth position. She cornered five and six wide on the outside of the field and came with a concerted run in the centre of the track, laying in a little under pressure. The leader tired but Perignon could not pick her up, going under by a nose. A sound effort in defeat. Italy missed the start badly before improving quickly along the fence to settle in eighth position on the fence. She stayed to the inside in the straight and finished on well under a hard ride to just miss in a tight finish. Serenade followed Perignon in the run and also came with her run in the centre of the track. She came with a big run late on the outside to grab fourth on the line beaten less than a length. Look To The Stars raced on the inside of Perignon. She did not have much racing room in the straight and battled on gamely when in the clear to finish a close fifth. Always Allison was taken back to third last on the fence. She did not have a lot of luck in the straight and went to the line without being tested by Glyn Schofield.