The 2014 Karaka Millions winner at Ellerslie on a sludgy slow track that was very biased, so results then become suspect, in Vespa led and won this G1 event on surprisingly Good3 rated footing. The times all day suggested the track was off at every trip bar the 1200m, which is a troubling distance at Ellerslie with the gate placement so wide and then the rail being out 4.5m does make the worry it is a light measure. Vespa got over quickly to lead and then got away with a very soft middle sector so the race turned into a sprint home. He held on narrowly to clock 1:11.70 and that is an awful time for this supposed level. The 3yo race and Ratings 75 on the card both clocked just over 1:10 or ten lengths superior alarmingly. The runner up and narrowly beaten filly O’Marilyn was no surprise as she crossed over early to sit with the winning leader but did not attack him and just accepted the race would be a sprint home. It cost her the win for sure not applying some heat as she had the sex allowance too. The race time was the fifth slowest since 2002 when they made this a G1 juvenile race at 1200m here. The two worst times came in 2003 and 2004 with the former in 1:12.72 on a holding slow track by Maroofity and the latter in 1:14.06 on a heavy bog by Iflooxcouldkill. The supposed Good3 rating today when also reported here last year saw the winning filly Ruud Awakening clock 1:08.78 and she got demolished several times in Australia last spring. The 1200m times are more than suspect at Ellerslie and have been for a while. The trainer of Vespa in Johnno Benner does not work many and was recording his first G1 success after nabbing his richest result when winning the Karaka Millions prior with the same youngster. Whether this gelding will measure up next season is debatable as the depth is dubious this season for New Zealand juveniles and it is a safer bet the fillies will progress more in the 3yo ranks. The best maiden in New Zealand at the moment is surely Platinum Balos after her stomping home down the outer into third from the rear. She really finds the line and being by the good sire Bernardini there is scope next season for sure. The 1400m on her home track at G1 does look her next best target race before a spell and then come back a stronger 3yo filly. The pair of Leo Molloy runners in Riding Shotgun and Artic Wolf both got crowded early and settled in the second and third last spots. Both ran respectable races but whether either will make the G1 win step up next season is unlikely. The first starter Bountiful ran a sound race for the rookie of the field and does confirm the overall form worth of this race was suspect. The rest over-raced and got way too keen midrace when the leading pair that formed the quinella slowed the pace down to farcical levels for a G1 event. It is becoming a regular sight at Ellerslie to see G1 races down to a crawl and does highlight a massive lack of depth across the board. Prince Mambo may be forgiven as his rider had to check halfway up the run home on the inner when the room ahead got too tight but he is still marked as clockwise suspect at the moment regardless. Five fillies have won out of the twelve runnings of this race at G1 over 1200m and four of those are the only winners to break 1:10 so the girls have the slickest times by far. Anabandana (1:08.35) in 2011, Ruud Awakening (1:08.78) last year, Mi Jubilee (1:08.98) in 2005 and Banchee (1:09.72) in 2010 are the fastest four in order. The only two Australian bred runners in the race today unsurprisingly ran second and third. The first two home today dictated the race and got away with it being just a 400m sprint home at G1 so neither felt pressure. The third finisher Platinum Balios is the one for next season on breeding and performance.