The 2018 G3 Wellington Cup (3200m) was likely the lowest rating edition of the race ever and had no depth whatsoever. The clear topweight Patrick Erin had never run in a Group race ever but had 59kg and was 4.5kg above any other runner, which says it all. He started favourite and ran an honest fourth but giving away so much weight proved a bridge too far in a slow run race. Magic Chai won the race and the Australian bred gelding was just a four-race winner prior that was rising multiple grades in this and in fact had never contested a blacktype race until today. He bounded in the air at the start and settled last but crucially made a wide run across the top and on the minimum of 53kg swept up seventh turning for home and not very from the leaders. The race track bias all day made it imperative you had to be there or thereabouts turning for home and with momentum. Magic Chai was a closing fourth at the 200m and second at the 100m before getting to the front with 50m to go and went on to score by a long neck in a tepid 3:25.19. The 5yo was winning his fifth race from eighteen starts and all his wins notably have come at 2100m up to 3200m so stamina is his earning skill. Sampson led up and was kicking hard but could not repel the winner the closing stages and it gave him a second dividend bearing position in this race having finished third in 2016 when it was a G2 race. He was a nine-win galloper and the 8yo was on the minimum today of 53kg as was the third finisher Alinko Prince, a six-win 6yo gelding. Alinko Prince was midfield then moved up wide across the top before striding into the lead at the 300m only to be headed 100m later. He fought hard and was just a long neck and a short neck from victory. Patrick Erin pulled hard handy the inner for an eternity and under 59kg it left him none of this usual impressive lift and surge. He finished fourth and beaten just over two lengths so was game but when giving away so much weight you cannot over-race like that. High Spirits moved up from back and wide to be fourth across the top and got to second at the 300m before wilting a tad but the key was the mare got going to be in the race turning for home. Princess Dillon a two-win mare was only paying $29 and that alone shows what the depth of this field really represented. She trailed the inner and wilted to sixth beaten just over two and a half lengths. Highlad sat second the outer early then was sixth across the top as some moves were made before one-batting the run home to finish seventh beaten just under seven lengths. Clarify had a nice run the outer and does not run out the 3200m it seems and got beaten over ten lengths. Model Aye was a modest ninth but Alfie Dee at $83 was noticed warming up very late after being in the rear duo for most of the race. The rest got beaten a dozen lengths and up to just over thirty-seven lengths and either could not stay or were outclassed or needed wetter footing or all three. Blathwayt, an 8yo warrior, sadly at his fiftieth start faltered just shy of a lap out, when the field was crawling and many runners tugging hard. He fractured the fetlock on his left foreleg and was humanely euthanized. This was a very poor field and demotion of this once G1 race down to G2 and now G3 has been well deserved as it is not a serious two-mile event anymore. Magic Chai has years ahead of racing and can stay but needs to find six or seven seconds to be competitive in a real 3200m test. Patrick Erin in a more solidly run 3200m race is probably still the best stayer in New Zealand still at the moment.