Watamu held up in touch, headway to chase leader over 2f out, driven to lead just over 1f out, ran on well

Mr Aviator tracked leaders, ridden and effort 2f out, driven to press leaders 1f out, chased winner inside final furlong, beaten last 50yds

Pinch Of Salt awkward leaving stalls and slowly away, held up in last pair, switched left and headway well over 1f out, kept on under pressure, went 3rd towards finish, not pace to threaten leading pair

Samarinda led until over 9f out, chased leader until led again 3f out, ridden just over 2f out, headed just over 1f out, weakened last 100yds

Ladies Best held up in last, ridden and effort on outer just over 2f out, edged left and no headway over 1f out, eased when beaten inside final furlong

Mafeking dwelt, soon pushed up to chase leader, led over 9f out until 3f out, soon ridden and weakened, behind and eased inside final furlong

This trip is short of WATAMU's best, but the seven-year-old is in super form and defied a 5lb rise for his recent course win off a career-high mark. His trainer Peter Makin said: "This surface suits him. He doesn't have many miles on the clock and although he's seven, he could still be improving."

Mr Aviator has been making hay on the Polytrack but came up against a tough opponent here. Given a hold-up ride and 4lb higher than for his latest win, he ranged up to look a threat to Watamu but couldn't reel in his rival. There was no disgrace in this defeat, though.

Pinch Of Salt has been doing much of his racing at Kempton. On his first run here, he kept on gamely and was bearing down on the principals at the finish. He will have learned something and can score off his current mark.

Ladies Best found the sedate pace set by Mafeking against him. On the first outing for his trainer, he never looked like getting in a blow, but it would be unwise to expect too much of him at this early stage of the campaign. He was bought for a six-figure sum to be pointed at the Melbourne Cup.

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