The comical first quarter of the Listed Wanganui Cup may have in fact won the race for natural leader Just The Tip. As the field came down the front straight for the first time and past the winning post with a lap of the track to go the loud speakers on course were still blaring a female opera singer in full voice. Whether this high pitch spooked Just The Tip was more than likely confirmed when he went from a length lead a lap out to a five lengths buffer around the first turn and then had a ten length lead midrace. A breather across the top then saw the 6yo gelding dash clear halfway up the home straight and the fat lady was singing, figuratively, as Just The Tip had his rivals well beaten at this stage. The winning time of 2:08.82 for the 2040m is not a great time at all and the winning margin was almost three lengths. A maiden earlier in the day went to a mare having her fourteenth start that ran 2:08.62 so she ran over a length faster. The race following the Wanganui Cup was a Ratings 75 and won easily by Awesome Goal in 2:07.70 or almost seven lengths superior. He since coming back from Australia to New Zealand is finding the alarming lack of staying depth is true and has jogged in at his last two outings. He had won once in sixteen starts in Victoria and since coming to New Zealand has in four starts won and placed twice each. The opening up of a big gap on the field then breather and surge the run home debilitated his rivals chances and on a day where the inside in or near the lead was a plus. Dubai Belle, which is impossible to predict, fought on for second after being in that position just over halfway into the race. The third finisher Flying Orca was fourth or fifth the fence until working out across the top, while the fourth finisher was second early then third the inner thereafter so this was an on pace and biased finish. Likeapins ran on late one-off while warming up okay but too late down the outer were Gwynethanne and Boninsky so both of them can be included next time on a less biased venue. All in all not a very strong field but the winner Just The Tip had hinted he could cope at middle distance when leading and being caught into second by the up and comer Maygrove prior at 2000m under 59kg down a grade from this. It was the first blacktype winner for his trainer Janelle Millar and she has a fit galloper that can carry weight and on good or dead footing can make full use of track bias helping leaders and/or on pacers. Getting the sound system at a track to keep the singing going until they pass the post a lap out is going to be hard to replicate again but Just The Tip may have found his winning edge!