Volkstok’n’barrell won his fifth race in a row from six starts and once again never really had a hard race and just had to lengthen the run home, as he can rather spectacularly. His stride is extravagant and long so when he hits full lengthening top speed the opposition better have another gear to go too. The win in this Listed mile came in a small field and saw a slow 1:37.10 clocked and the race was in effect a 400m sprint home. The gelded son of Tavistock amazingly in his impressive career has never once run a fast or even decent time so there will be plenty left in the tank for his next start over 2000m and then the G1 NZ Derby over 2400m. A definite Derby danger won the final event on the card at this meeting very impressively called Sound Proposition and he defeated the older horses plus ran 1:35.65 or a staggering nine lengths superior. He sat wide too and unleashed with a stamina like surge. The Derby may not be all over bar the shouting as many are claiming with Sound Proposition and Margin Trader (both bred to run middle distance) sure to give Volkstok’n’barrell serious opposition. The runner up again to Volkstok’n’barrell was Rockfast and he will soon be sick of the sight of this rival 3yo because he seems incapable of beating him home at this stage. Stratocaster ran on well late from the rear considering the slow run race was just a sprint home and Tavy was likewise with that filly having scope. It is unusual for a hotpot in the markets already to win the G1 NZ Derby that somehow is yet to have a hard race or even run decent time so no chink in his armour exposed yet. They cannot outsprint him or intimidate him so down to the last card to play and that is outstay him.