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We're kidding ourselves if we believe the horses we so badly need for the Melbourne Cup will come from Saturday's $100,000 Chep Pallecon Solutions Counties Cup.
And, before we get into the "abuse a man's wife, but never abuse his horse" argument, Noble Warrior has been just that in his life.
Noble and a warrior, and Grant and Tania Shaw had done a marvellous job of winning a quarter of a million dollars even before Saturday.
However, he's an 8-year-old carrying 58kg and held them all out, making them look ordinary, a week after running in the 3200m New Zealand Cup.
Congratulations also to rider Rogan Norval, to whom the Shaws have proved loyal.
Where are our stayers?
There's no mystery where Australia's are - they don't have any, outside a couple of obvious exceptions. Don't forget Makybe Diva was French-bred.
Outside of declaring - yet again - that selling our best young horses to Asia, particularly Hong Kong, depletes our ranks of potential stayers, there are few answers.
Unlike Australia, we have staying sires like Zabeel (now retired), Pentire, Shocking, Savabeel and previously High Chaparral, and the mares of those stallions will keep us going for a decade or more.
However, Australia has bred speed to speed to speed to the point they almost have an excess of horses who can't see out 1200m.
Should there be restrictions on the number of Northern Hemisphere Melbourne Cup runners?
Depends on who you ask, but the growing team is those who say no.
Regular Melbourne Cup visitor Fransesca Cumani is aghast that some could even think of restricting European runners.
"What, if Australians weren't winning the Australian [tennis] Open often enough, would you restrict [outside] entries? No, of course you wouldn't.
"You can't pretend to have the world's best handicap and restrict and select the field."
Australians, including Gai Waterhouse, a former speed queen, was saying after the Melbourne Cup that Australia needs to concentrate on breeding more staying horses.
It's going to take Australia a decade and a half longer than New Zealand to turn that around, and in that we have an enormous advantage.
Be a shame if New Zealand doesn't use that advantage.
Meanwhile, In Style kept her group one hopes alive when she opened her black type account with a defeat of a pair of former Golden Slipper runners.
Trainer Danica Guy said the mare had to stand up and be counted in the IMG Counties Bowl to remain on target for one of the country's premier sprints. "She's going towards the Railway and she's proven she's up to the class now."
A key factor to her latest success was the improved surface, after she had been tripped up by rain-affected going at her previous start at Ellerslie.
"She needs it with no moisture in it," Guy said. "She got the conditions to suit here and she's done the job."
In Style jumped well to trail the leaders for jockey Michael Coleman and rounded off strongly in the straight to beat Ruud Awakening and Shelford.
Ruud Awakening, who was making her sixth appearance since she was unplaced in last year's Golden Slipper, delighted trainer Stephen Marsh with her front-running effort for second. "We're rapt and she's had a really good blow," he said. "She will improve a lot and she'll probably run in the Newmarket next."
Shelford turned in an excellent effort for third after covering extra ground from the wide gate in his second start for trainer Tony Pike.
The Redoute's Choice entire has won only two races, but was a consistent performer in Sydney and was twice stakes placed as a 2-year-old. Additional reporting NZ Racing Desk
Looking to the future
• New Zealand must maintain its advantage over Australia in breeding stayers.
• Ranks have been depleted with sales of youngsters to Asia.
• Restricting Melbourne Cup entries may not be the answer.