The track at Awapuni today was very iffy and heavily biased towards leaders and on pacers. The winners and where they turned for home were led, led, third, second, fourth (trail), led, seventh (three and a half lengths from leader) and sixth (three lengths from leader), so the bias was undeniable. This Listed Open Handicap over 2100m saw the clear topweight Five To Midnight prevail after racing back and still seventh turning for home but well within striking distance. The 6yo gelding was fifth and coming at the 200m and reached second at the 100m and led at the 50m to win by just under a length in 2:12.45 and record his eighth win in thirty-one starts. He was a G3 and Listed winner before today earlier in his career so added another Listed success to a record that is more known for placings with him paying a dividend in a third of his starts. Five To Midnight ran fourth in this race last year under 58kg but today against lesser depth win with 2kg more was superior. He had in the late Spring, Summer and early March Cups races in New Zealand last season been placed in almost all of them including G1, G2 and G3. The same path of constant racing over the next three to four months seems likely to be repeated as the stamina depth has not improved in New Zealand since. Ringo, which had been tried once over 2200m in all his career prior and failed, was able today to finish second in this 2100m event as a 9yo incredibly. He sat sixth mostly and moved up fourth turning for home and actually led at the 100m before being buried by the three-year-younger Five To Midnight. Balham, an 8yo gelding that was rising in this today three or more grades on his last start, sat fourth the outer and went up third wide across the top. He led at the 200m and once headed at the 100m fought on to be beaten just over a length and a half. Sampson, a 9yo gelding, trailed the leaders and fought on for fourth beaten two lengths. Nymph Monte, with an apprentice atop in a non-claiming blacktype event, sat back the outer and improved wide across the top but turned for home deeper and too far away to be a hope. The 7yo got going too late to finish fifth beaten two and a half lengths but his best asset is a turn of foot not used earlier and on better footing than he struck today plus he needs a senior rider atop. Highlad sat outside the leader and led turning for home before weakening once headed at the 200m. Strolling Vagabond was tardy and last away before recovering sixth the inner but never ran on as she has shown in the past. Dr Watson was running on the late after being settling down last while China Star led up but stopped once headed turning or home. Rayas was outclassed and is better suited back to her own class and down to a mile where she would be a winner. This was a weak Listed field and contained too many old gallopers that have been racing each other for years proving only that the depth was not coming through in the younger legs. Five To Midnight has won a quarter of his starts and been placed in a third of his career so is not a fan of the photo finish but the stayer and stamina depth of New Zealand racing has stood still or gone backwards for many years now. So this gelding can keep cashing in against substandard depth, which it should be pointed out he has struggled to consistently beat but that might now change although he is high in the weights already.