The theory that ALL kiwi raiders to Australia will automatically manage rain-affected footing was a given a couple of decades back.
There was an element of truth in the belief, even if it should never have been taken literally.
Tough, often colonial bred sires, produced horses that in the main were rugged enough to get through testing conditions.
But the increasing popularity of Northern Hemisphere stallions into New Zealand has changed to type of horse being bred.
You can no longer assume ALL Kiwi raiders to Australia will be swimmers.
A good example are stablemates Te Akau Shark and Melody Belle. On decent footing and with even luck, Te Akau Shark would almost always have the advantage over Melody Belle. On very soft to heavy the two galloping greats would level up.
So, when Caloundra trainer Paul Duncan produced former Kiwi mare Mood on a very heavy track at Caloundra in mid-May he wondered if she could produce her best in the conditions. From a handful of New Zealand starts Mood had won on a decent surface at Taupo and had not struck it heavy there or in a couple of local runs on arrival.
Gut instinct is often best and Paul followed it with a brilliant result. Mood was fractionally slow as usual and was allowed to relax to the home turn. A few were riding surprisingly tight for the conditions and Matt McGillivray had to push his way clear and Mood did the rest.
The way Mood rounded them up and sprinted clear left little doubt there was more to come.
Mood is an extremely athletic type, but the trip across from New Zealand knocked her around and she refused to eat for a time. Given a break, she has returned a different horse.
This was a victory for the Kiwis-in-the-mud brigade.