This Listed Open Handicap at 1400m saw a tight finish with the first three home separated by less than half a length. Bonniegirl coming into today had won all three of her fresh up outings and kept her perfect record intact with a super sustained surge to score from well back on settling. The 5yo mare on the minimum of 53kg scored by a short neck in 1:12.98 to record her sixth career win from sixteen starts. She was third in this event last year, also carrying the minimum of 53kg, when second up tellingly from a spell. Underthemoonlight fresh up got back but like the winner surged home resolutely and almost prevailed. The 5yo mare has compiled a sound record and while just a three-race winner she has now a G3 win, a G3 second, a Listed third from today and also fourths at G2 and Listed level. Passing Shot shared the paced on the inner and only got run down the final 15m under 56kg, having won this race last year carrying 57.5kg. Amarula did well for fourth after away ordinarily and second last on settling before improving wide across the top and being the deepest runner turning for home. He sustained a stout finish, like the winner and runner up, and was beaten just a length and a half. La Fille En Jeu had a soft run fourth or fifth the fence and fought on okay to the line to be beaten two lengths. Smashing was sixth beaten just over five lengths but it was a better effort than it seems as she was wide handy and working the whole way and reached third turning for home. Rocanto shared the pace on the inner with the eventual winner and once headed at the 300m was still second at the 200m before weakening out to seventh beaten just over six lengths. Xcuses Xcuses plugged on from the back and Ruby Armani was incredibly wide for most of the race so will sleep well and can be forgiven. Snowdrop raced third but dropped out and it was a poor performance while the resuming Taurus was slow out and a distant last on settling. This was a reasonable depth race but had a few runners out of form so that puts an asterisk query on the result. Four of the runners were fresh up and provided the quinella and not surprisingly both were mares, the true depth of New Zealand racing with all the benefits they get.