Unnefer tracked leaders, went 2nd 4f out, challenged over 2f out until slight advantage approaching final furlong, stayed on strongly and always just going best

Bouguereau led, ridden when strongly challenged from over 2f out, narrowly headed approaching final furlong, stayed on gamely but always just held

Patkai held up in rear but in touch, pushed along 3f out, stayed on from 2f out, going on inside final furlong but never a threat to leading duo

Staying On chased leader, took keen hold, lost 2nd 4f out, weakened over 2f out

Mountain Pride in rear, headway on outside to chase leaders 4f out, ridden 3f out and soon weakened

Better Hand always towards rear

Straight And Level in touch, ridden 4f out, weakened 3f out

A race that has produced two Epsom Classic winners over the past eight years - Oath, second in this race in 1999 before winning the Derby, and Oaks winner Light Shift a year ago (both trained by Henry Cecil) and it was encouraging to see that a few of these hold Dante entries. The time was quicker than both of the fillies' maidens over the same distance.

Cecil was again responsible for the winner, with UNNEFER, in the same colours as last year's victor, stepping up on his two-year-old form to get the better of Bouguereau. He lacks the potential to develop into a serious Classic contender but posted several fair efforts at two, notably when second to Raven's Pass in an Ascot Listed event, and would be worthy of his place in something like the Dee Stakes at Chester next month - Cecil won that race with Oath en route to Epsom.

Bouguereau, whose best form as a juvenile came when fourth in a 1m Listed race at Deauville, broke his maiden at the fourth attempt when upped to 1m2f at Pontefract on his reappearance and looked well worth his place in this better contest, having won so easily. The Italian Derby had been sighted as his big target and he ran really well in second, attempting to make all and battling on gamely right the way to the line. He ended up well clear of the remainder and is evidently still progressing.

The rest were headed by Patkai. From the well-known family of Islington and Greek Dance, he seemed to appreciate the ease in the ground when winning his maiden at the secondattempt in October and the step up to middle distances this season was always going to coax improvement. A Dante entrant, on this evidence he is going to fall short of Group-race level, this season at least, as he could keep on at only one pace back in third, having taken an age to pick up. He was not given a hard time, though, and it would be no surprise if he took the handicap route, with the step up to 1m4f and perhaps further likely to suit.

Mountain Pride, whose trainer has taken this race twice in recent times, notably with Derby third Let The Lion Roar, improved for the step up to 1m when winning an ordinary Leicester maiden last backend and the son of High Chaparral looked open to further improvement as a three-year-old. Backed as though a big run was expected, he moved into a challenging position rounding for home, but carried his head quite high under pressure and dropped out tamely inside the final two furlongs. He is evidently thought to be capable of a good deal better and perhaps there was something amiss.

Better Hand, a disappointment in the Washington Singer at this course on his final start at two, had shown useful form in winning a Sandown maiden, but he produced little on this seasonal return. He has plenty to prove. [MB]

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