The talented 4yo mare Say No More blew them away the closing stages in a very sedate run mile for a G1 under handicap conditions. The winning time of 1:37.69 proved the track was nowhere near the ridiculous good 3 rating put up before the opening event and in fact was a couple of points at least inferior. A G3 for 3yo fillies ran quicker in 1:37.62 one race prior but the most alarming fact was a Ratings 85 ran 1:36.29 in R9 or a staggering 10 lengths superior to the G1, which puts perspective into the depth overall and erroneous track rating offered. The Thorndon (formerly the George Adams Mile and then Jarden Mile and some other names interspersed) used to be a good result race for mares. There were two 4yo mare winners in the 1980's (Raywood Lass in 1980 and Powley in 1982). There were five mare winners in the 1990's. Significantly three of the five winners were 4yo mares (Fun On The Run in 1990, Silver Chalice in 1995 and Fayreform in 1998), while the 5yo winners were (Happiness in 1996 and Winning Wave in 1997). Since 2000 there have been four mare winners and Say No More in 2012 now makes five with Pace Invader in 2000, Tall Poppy in 2001, Giovana in 2002 and Macavelli Miss in 2006. The last 4yo mare to win it was Pace Invader in 2000 and her dam Grey Invader won the Hong Kong Cup in 1989. Say No More has won five of her nine starts and finished second three times, with it being fair to say she could have won all of those too with any luck having been beaten narrowly each time. She was even stiff when seventh fresh up this season in her only unplaced effort to date. The winner has upside to progress further as she has a turn of foot at the end of her races and is a strong sprinter/miler in slow or fast run races. Hard luck stories abound in the race with Final Touch, November Rain, Justanexcuse, Shez Sinsational and Platinum Princess the main five for varying reasons (see comments for each horse above). The track conditions (inside lanes were much slower and winners on the day came down the middle or deeper from off the pace so leaders had no hope either) and farcically flawed rating (a good 3 was an insult) the most worrying facet, as a man-made debacle happened at this same carnival last year. Bettors, owners and trainers deserve better on G1 days.