This Listed 1200m Open Handicap saw a powerfully built 4yo mare in Starvoia win by a nose. The Australian bred mare has come up super this season and is yet to taste defeat and today in a small field sat sixth wide albeit with cover then pounced to lead at the 100m. The track at Wingatui was cutting up badly by this stage of the day due to rain but this mare has won on all sorts of footing so coped admirably. She hung on at the end by a nose such was the closing finish strength of the runner up Timy Tyler that loved the rain on the track. Starvoia carried the minimum of 53kg and clocked 1:13.06 to win her sixth race from twelve starts so had a good strike indeed and amazingly today was her first win at blacktype and came in an Open Handicap, after five Listed placings as a 3yo. Timy Tyler flew from last and would have won in one more stride. The 7yo last won a race in October of 2015 so has almost forgotten what the winning post is for and where the winners stall is. Mr Typhon ran on very well for third and was beaten less than a length. Such was the dramatic strength of the runners up finish the powerful burst of this Australian bred was almost overlooked. Signify was a gutsy fourth beaten just under a length and a half after sitting wide third the whole way under 60kg. Carnival a last start G3 winner led up and was run over into fourth beaten a length and three-quarters. The 4yo was pitch-forked into this carrying the same weight incredibly as her last start success. Darci Mac was okay and not beaten too far but he has done this twice since racing in the South Island and should be doing and showing more. Enzo’s Lad did not like the wet ground so can be forgiven. Passito stopped after sitting outsider leader and now in two blacktype attempts has finished last each time. Starvoia has size and upside and will clean up in the South Island for sure but she and four others in this hold a nomination for the G1 1200m at Trentham on Jan 20. The winner of the Telegraph last year was Signify at $46 so he will want to defend his crown and ran a brave race today.