The 2016 NZ Oaks (2400m) was yet another G1 race in New Zealand that was argued by the stewards and then ultimately decided by the JCA panel so the siren sounding is becoming an all too familiar occurrence. The even money favourite Sofia Rosa won the race by a nose then was relegated to second behind the promoted Fanatic at $63. The decision was a no brainer and the head on as damning a piece of evidence as you are likely to see. Sofia Rosa had a soft run sixth the outer mostly and moved up wide before the home turn then strode into second at the 400m. She overhauled the leader with 100m to run then under a hard whip ride ran outwards with every left-hand strike and won by the smallest margin. Fanatic had raced buried back on the inner but worked off across the top and then was unleashed the run home to loom up third at the 200m and likely. She reached second at the 100m then started to gradually overhaul Sofia Rosa only to be carted wider quite markedly the closing stages. If a right-handed whip rider was on Sofia Rosa she likely would have won and not continued to veer out (away from the whip) as she did today. Fanatic was winning just her second ever race today and it came at G1 with the winning time 2:29.47. Her sire is the Melbourne Cup winner Shocking. The winning rider Mark Hills has another boilover at G1 too his resume along with Macavelli Miss narrowly here in the 2006 G1 Thorndon Mile at $120 from the outside barrier of 18 and Jacowils narrowly in the 2009 G1 Railway (1200m) at $105 from barrier nine. Fanatic won today from barrier fifteen in a sixteen horse field and all of the Hills blowouts were trained in the Waikato district. Strada Cavallo ran on gamely for third to gain her second G1 placing this season. Mime was asked a lot of in the running and went for home far too soon as the Trentham straight is lengthy so her fourth was brave but should have been a G1 placing on her record. Promise To Reign ran on well for fifth after settling a long way back while the eyecatcher was the maiden Amazing Lady that took off deep from the back across the top and sustained her run to finish sixth. Amazing Lady has scope for sure and would be odds on back to her proper grade if seen in that next time out. Alarmist was sound enough too while Duchess Kate should sleep well after a wide trip for almost the first half of the race then got over midfield the outer before moving deep again across the top. Cool Tart disappointed as did a few others and in particular Coldplay that had a very wide run early on before being flat turning for home. Sofia Rosa is still the class act from the field but will need a right-hand whip rider or a rider that can use both hands with the whip when next seen left-handed. She is not very big but has that will to win. Mime should have paid a dividend if not let rip so far from home but showed she can do work and still surge. Interestingly the first, third and fourth finishers today drew three off the four outside stalls and amazingly the fifth and seventh finishers drew the wide gates of eleven and twelve. Usually this race is a strong guide and a super source of winners for next season at all levels and thereafter. However the race has lost a lot of oomph and lustre since the G1 NZ Derby was moved from a Boxing Day date that worked for generations to an early autumn date and then the rich ATC Oaks of the Sydney Championships became a preferred autumn target too. The G1 NZ Oaks has suffered greatly and is not getting many if any of the star fillies as they now run in the Derby then the gap and timing works for them to go to Sydney next. Trentham is the big loser and the bettors and reliable form followers are too as sadly this race does not have the same impact anymore.