This G1 1600m at WFA only drew nine runners alarmingly and had suspect depth with over the half the field being handicappers. A lot of runners were out of form too and had not won for a while so no surprise then that the first two home Kawi and Start Wondering were the two best performed runners. Kawi had not won a race in his last four outing and had not even filled a placing , which was staggering in itself for an at this time before the race a five-time G1 winner in New Zealand. He would with yet another riding change today win his sixth G1 in New Zealand and score by three quarters of a length in 1:34.60. The time was just over four lengths superior only to the Ratings 75 event held prior, so was not exactly a stern test overall. He was away averagely again, which has crept into his repertoire of late, and sat sixth or seventh the inner before being angled off to improve across the top. He strode up fourth turning in and then reached second at the 250m but still coming before gaining the upper hand with 50m to go. It was the fourteenth win in thirty-one starts for the 6yo gelding that after one more G1 at home next must surely be eying up the Brisbane winter carnival where some easier targets can surely be found. He was shown up three times in West Australia so is yet to pay a dividend in Australia and will want to try and correct that glaring fact. Start Wondering trailed the leaders and then got off and hit the front turning for home, which in hindsight was too soon, and then could not repel the sustained finish of Kawi the final 50m. He was a lower grades horse in Sydney and a midweeker in some respects but since coming back to New Zealand has found it ridiculously easy and to show that in his last four starts at G1 he was won twice and been a close second twice. Sofia Rosa ran on well for third over three lengths from the winner but that was expected she would finish third or fourth being a G1 winner last season as a filly. No 3yo form however is relevant until showing they can measure up to the older horses and at WFA there is no more brutal moment of truth so this now 4yo mare should clean up if she races solely in New Zealand. She was found out in Australia last Spring as a 4yo mare so maybe Sydney or Queensland are options but that doubt until erased still exists. Mighty Solomon a handicapper ran a sound fourth and only lost third a G1 placing at WFA on the line, which says a lot about this field overall. Maybe Miami sat wide handy and finished fifth beaten just under five lengths so in effect ran above his ability but he too showed the lack of genuine depth in the field. Authentic Paddy did not show his usual fight when a disappointing sixth but you can never say he has trained off or has had enough as he just keeps racing all the time. He could be some jumper if ever tried over the fences. Prince Of Passion and Watch This Space were outclassed under this scale while Iamishwara was a dreadful last. Iamishwarra won this race last year and a G2 two starts after that but since then has finished seventh, last, second last, second last and now another last. This was a field of no depth and the time was nothing flash where a five-time G1 winner in New Zealand beat a two-time G1 winner in New Zealand. The third finisher has some scope albeit distant at the post as only a 4yo mare but has been found out in Victoria badly so may need to cherry pick if sent to Sydney or Queensland. The rest are handicappers masquerading as WFA gallopers today and of course the durable Authentic Paddy that will never win at this level it seems no matter if he races all year around almost. The WFA depth has been shallow and poor for a while and when the likes of Kawi and Xtravagant get beaten so often and badly many times in Australia whereby they do not even fill a place then that is compelling evidence in itself. A local G1 hero or hometown star is very often just a run of the mill type or a total myth once tested in a bigger pond against more depth.