The G3 event saw the first three home unsurprisingly all female gallopers where Perfect Start scored by a lip from Decorah and Delveen. The winning time for the 2100m was a nothing spectacular 2:10.06 and Perfect Start has now won three of her last four outings so has flourished this summer. She was raced five times last winter in Queensland for a pair of fifths and sevenths plus a twelfth. The closest she finished to the winner anytime was a fifth in Class Six beaten just under three lengths at the Gold Coast so some realism has to be factored in. Today was her eighth win and second G3 success in the last three outings. She caught on the post a very game Decorah that worked hard wide early then lost her place before improving wide near the home turn so in effect was used twice in the running. After lodging a challenge at the 200m the 5yo mare looked like a certain winner but was cruelly caught on the post. It was her second G3 placing in three starts. Delveen was an eyecatcher late for third after settling well back and picking a path through halfway up the run home. The next pair home were two South Islanders in a 9yo Esprit D’Or that did some work and the leader an 8yo Our Bee Jay. Another 8yo South islander in Alpine Heights ran a reasonable race for seventh. Awesome Goal was poor considering his prior form and may have jarred up, had enough this campaign or was ridden too close. The rest were ordinary too. This was not a strong G3 staying field and the first seven home were five lengths clear of the last five home that were then spread over another eleven lengths. The staying ranks at the moment in New Zealand are dubious to say the least and the picture for the G2 Wellington Cup (2400m) a week later is up in air let alone the G1 Auckland Cup (3200m) in the first week in March.