"He's not built like a weight-for-age horse, he looks like a steeplechaser."
Alton has not enjoyed perfect health for some time and you can say Historian has helped in that regard.
Conversely, Alton argues: "The stress every time you take this horse to the races doesn't help. Each time he goes out for a race you just pray he comes back sound."
Top-class horses race through the pain barrier for most types of injuries. Alton said Historian walked out of his box yesterday morning a little gingerly.
"Every time you shoe him you jink up his feet. Catherine [his partner] was a little concerned, but it turned out okay."
There are no plans to retire Historian.
"He loves being out there, so he will keep going."
Historian will race next in the 2000m weight-for-age International Stakes at Te Rapa on February 8.
In a fabulous finish, O'Fille was a long head away second with a nose to Soriano and half a head to Viadana.
The pace mid-race slowed down to a crawl, badly counting against the back runners. One of the worst affected was Survived, who had only one or two behind him when the slowing took place.
He made a little ground, but it was tough going from where he was and he finished 1.8 lengths from the winner in eighth place.
"Things were right against him, but we can't go to Australia on that effort," said trainer John Bary.
"Almost certainly he can go to the paddock now and come back for the 1400m weight-for-age at Te Rapa."
Zurella got back and did not run on against an on-pace bias because of the tempo.
