This much moved and maligned G1 3yo mile event was once a famous Spring event but now is a struggling for relevance Summer contest that may soon lose its top shelf rating. It has been a dubious race for quite a while and the field today was in the main substandard with even a maiden filly having just her third start having a crack and making the line-up. The race turned out to be an on pacer or there or thereabouts in the running finish for the first four home. The first three home were separated by a nose and a long head and it would not have taken much further to see a different result on the line. Hall Of Fame won by a nose in 1:35.54 after trailing the leaders early then losing his spot but won the race in reality after being worked off the fence to sixth the outer across the top. The colt was moved up wider and closer near the home turn and surged into the lead at the 300m putting a break on his rivals that looked insurmountable at the 150m but he was running on empty the closing stages and fell in at the line. It was his fifth win in nine starts and the most important from a stallion perspective as he had been demolished at G1 in the Spring over a mile. That massive flop in the G1 2000 Guineas at Riccarton when tenth of eleven beaten twenty-five lengths is even more head-scratching when second home in that race was the runner up today in Savile Row. The time in the G1 2000 Guineas it should be noted was 1:33.81 and today was tellingly over ten lengths inferior. Savile Row fought hard and may have won with a tad more runway, after racing handy the outer and them moving up third wide across the top. Jon Snow after being wide early took the front after 400m and then when headed by the eventual winner at the 300m and the runner up at the 200m fought back determinedly. It was a gutsy effort but also it should be noted he ran in the G1 2000 Guineas and had a horror run wide throughout to finish eighth beaten almost fourteen lengths, so we have some very untrustworthy 3yo results this season so far. Lincoln Blue was an honest fourth after leading then taking a trail and he is yet to finish worse than fourth lifetime so bettors can trust him for effort every time. Wyndspelle was seen running on well late for fifth and is so much more effective when drawn decently but also his formlines do cause hesitation. He ran fifth in the G1 2000 Guineas beaten seven and a half lengths, so looking at this result there is more confusion now than clarity about the 3yo pecking order. Excalibur was okay for sixth after an awkward start and is still on a Derby path. Savasava finished a running on seventh albeit beaten six and a half lengths and to add more pieces to the puzzle he finished seventh in the G1 2000 Guineas beaten almost thirteen lengths. Figurable wilted the run home after sitting second but he has scope as today was just his fourth outing. Leading Role plugged away but is not a G1 galloper, certainly at this stage. Collay was a maiden filly having her third ever start and after a tough run wide midfield or worse ended up beaten just under nine lengths. That says more about the true depth of her opposition to be realistic but also that she will be magma-hot when next seen in a maidens only event. Creative Genius was poor while Fine Taylor was wide and working throughout sixth then fourth so was always going to stop. Storytime was a dreadful last after racing midfield and she did miss away half a length and then got urged to recover quickly so that did not help but no real excuses otherwise unless something transpires since. She had in her previous two starts been G2 and G3 placed behind the unbeaten filly Volpe Veloce, so even that formline now becomes suspicious. The 3yo form this season so far at Group level has been way too inconsistent and erratic to say any of them are genuine topliners yet, as there does not seem to be much between many of them on any given day. Unless a male or female stands up in the Autumn such as Sacred Elixir back in New Zealand for the Derby then too many have been beaten when expected to win and often for no genuine reason. The jigsaw puzzle that is the 3yo season so far is a long way from being completed but some key pieces are clearly missing at the moment such as dominance, consistency and versatility to make any definitive decisions.