Times Vital slowly into stride, held up in rear, good headway on outside from 3f out, driven and quickened to press leader just inside final furlong, led final 110yds, all out

Howdigo in touch, ridden and headway from 3f out, slight lead well over 1f out, headed and no extra final 110yds but still well clear of 3rd

The Carlton Cannes chased leaders, ridden along 3f out, stayed on to go 3rd final furlong but never any chance with leading duo

Miss Rochester chased leaders, ridden 3f out, stayed on same pace final 2f

Ballochroy chased leaders, driven along over 3f out, one pace final 2f

Killcara Boy soon pressing leader, led over 3f out, headed 2f out and soon weakened

Force Group in rear until ridden and headway 3f out, no impression on leaders from 2f out and stayed on same pace

Look To This Day in rear until headway on outside from 3f out, edged left under pressure from 2f out, kept on but never in contention

Forthright in rear, headway 3f out, not clear run 2f out, switched right soon after and stayed on final furlong, never near leaders

Esthlos chased leaders, ridden and slight lead approaching final 2f, headed and weakened well over 1f out

Sleepy Hollow in rear, some headway on inside over 2f out but never in contention

Trachonitis in rear until some headway 3f out, never dangerous soon after

Sinbad The Sailor in rear, ridden and staying on when not clear run over 2f out, never a factor after

Shavansky chased leaders, ridden 3f out, weakened over 2f out

Nawow slight lead until headed over 3f out, gradually weakened

Dalhaan in touch, chased leaders 4f out, weakened 3f out

A competitive handicap on paper, but it was the two three-year-olds who were officially well in at the weights who came clear.

TIMES VITAL was racing off a 3lb lower mark than in future handicaps on the back of his second at Sandown last time. He was slowly away that day but was loaded into the stalls later this time and he got away on terms as a result. That first run for a couple of months had clearly brought him on and, stepping up to 1m4f for the first time back on better ground, he stayed on strongly to get the better of Howdigo. He will get further than this and is clearly on the upgrade, so it would be dangerous to assume that a rise in the handicap will stop him going in again.

Howdigo was 1lb well in at the weights and his last-time-out third at Sandown had been given a boost when Dar Es Salaam won the previous race on the card. He travelled well into contention but Dettori let the winner get first run on him and he was always just playing catch up thereafter. The way the pair pulled clear suggests both are progressive, though.

Miss Rochester, who flopped at odds-on last time out, ran a better race here, but her performance hardly suggested that she is particularly well handicapped at present.

Ballochroywould not have been suited by the drying ground as his best form is on soft, but he saw out the longer trip well enough.

Killcara Boy could have done with not being pestered for the lead by Nawow.

Shavansky hit the wall two furlongs outand ran as though in need of his first outing since running over hurdles at Aintree in May.

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