A terrific renewal of this increasingly international affair, featuring runners who had been Group or Graded winners in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States, Dubai, France, Ireland and here in Britain. They included the splendid Takeover Target, successful five times in Australia at Grade 1 level and placed in the last two runnings of this race, plus the winners of last year's July Cup and Nunthorpe (the Golden Jubilee winner Soldier's Tale was a late withdrawal), as well as those of the Prix Maurice De Gheest and the Poule D'Essai Des Poulains.

They were spread across the track in the early stages, with Takeover Target taking then along towards the stands' side and Fat Boy on the far side, but the pace on the far side did not last and even though they gradually merged it's hard not to conclude that the draw played its part here, for the first five home came from stalls 3, 1, 4, 2 and 5.

KINGSGATE NATIVE looked an unlikely winner after finishing only tenth in the King's StandStakes, but he had legitimate excuses there, in that he was making his reappearance and ran with the choke out after failing to get any cover. Horses making a quick reappearance here have a good record, with Choisir winning both races in 2003 and Les Arcs winning the 2006 Golden Jubilee after fnishing only eleventh in the King's Stand, and Kingsgate Native added his name to the list with a surprise success on his first try at 6f. What's more, having last year been the first two-year-old winner of the Nunthorpe since Lyric Fantasy in 1992, he bucked another significant trend in becoming the first three-year-old winner of this race since Atraf in 1996, when it was a Group 3.

He was keen enough here, but Seb Sanders, on board for the first time, had the ideal horse to tuck in behind and he was always in a good position. Going into the final furlong there were only three possible winners, and Kingsgate Native proved the strongest, despite flashing his tail a couple of times under pressure. His targets forthe remainder of the season pick themselves, with the July Cup next (William Hill make him 6-1 favourite), followed by a return to York for the Nunthorpe. The Abbaye, in which he was second last year, will be tempting too. He is an extraordinary horse, and he might not have finished yet.

The top-class former South African sprinter War Artist had made an excellent impression in second when giving weight away in the Duke of York, and he showed excellent speed throughout on the near side of the leader. He had every chance through the final furlong until the winner asserted, and confirmed the strength of the overseas sprinters with a fine effort, especially as the overnight rain might not have been to his advantage. He too will be a force to reckon with in the July Cup, and he was cut to 8-1 with Hills.

Last year's Gimcrack winner Sir Gerry is only a point longer for Newmarket after coming from off the pace to finish an excellent third, providing further evidence that this year's three-year-olds are a decent bunch. The worry there is that he has been a disappointing favourite twice on his home track, although the second occasion was on the Rowley Mile course.

US Ranger would have been closer to War Artist at York with a better draw, but there was no excuse on that count this time from stall five. Having been a bit squeezed for room leaving the stalls he raced at the back of the pack and came under pressure with over 2f to go. He did well to run on into fifth, but 6f looks on the sharp sise for him.

Marchand D'Or's Chantilly win had been boosted by the King's Stand winner Equiano, and the rain was to his advantage too. Having been held up in rear and getting into a bit of scrimmaging just after halfway he never got in a blow, but he stayed on. His race looks to be Deauville's Prix MauriceDe Gheest over the extra half furlong, which he has won for the last two years.

Astronomer Royal was going on at the finish. This was a decent effort, especially as he is another that might not have wanted the rain. Zidane came up the favouredstands' side of the pack for a fair eighth. He just finds the competition a bit hot at this level. That remark applies to last year's Wokingham winner Dark Missile too, but she was not helped by stall 19, which meant she was racing widest.

Balthazaar's Gift never got involved - not that many did to be fair - and Fat Boy, who was taking a big step up in class after his Listed wins, was unable to maintain his early pace in this better company.

The prolific New Zealand mare Seachange, running for the first time since the Golden Shaheen in Dubai in March, would not have been helped by her wide draw. She is surely capable of considerably better.

Trailing the field was Sakhee's Secret, for whom the rain had been particularly bad news. He had shown at Haydock last year that he struggles when it is loose on top, and he was already in trouble when he was buffeted about a bit between Marchand D'Or and Aeroplane just after halfway. His fine run under a penalty at Newmarket on his reappearance showed he retained all his ability, and granted proper fast ground it will be a different story when he attempts to win the July Cup again.

*Steve Drowne reported Sakhee's Secret lost a front shoe and suffered interference in running.*RyanMoore reported Fat Boy hung left. [GD]

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