Mr Aviator tracked leaders, ridden and strong challenge from over 1f out, ran on gamely to lead final 75yds

Docofthebay raced keenly in midfield, headway 4f out, ridden to lead over 2f out, hard pressed final furlong, headed final 75yds

Royal Power held up, headway halfway, chased leaders over 2f out, strong challenge final furlong, not quicken close home

Kavachi held up, headway over 3f out, not clear run over 2f out, switched left over 1f out, ran and closed behind leaders inside final furlong, not quite pace to get there

Bankable edgy in stalls, held up in rear on outside, headway over 3f out, stayed on final furlong, never troubled near side leaders

Ballinteni midfield, pushed along halfway, headway over 1f out, stayed on under pressure inside final furlong, not pace to challenge leaders

Diamond Tycoon prominent, led over 3f out, headed over 2f out, edged right under pressure over 1f out, stayed on same pace final furlong

Humungous midfield, not clear run over 2f out, soon switched right, stayed on over 1f out, never able to reach leaders

Orchard Supreme held up in mdfield, ridden and headway over 3f out, chased leaders and edged right from 2f out, kept on under pressure final furlong

Extraterrestrial midfield, ridden halfway, plugged on at one pace final furlong, never able to challenge

Dream Lodge chased leaders, outpaced and lost place halfway, rallying when not clear run under 2f out, stayed on over 1f out, no impression on leaders inside final furlong

Overturn tracked leaders, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 2f out

Yarqus midfield, effort to try and chase leaders over 3f out, weakened over 1f out

We´ll Come midfield, ridden over 1f out, no impression

Ansells Pride prominent, ridden halfway, weakened 2f out

Flipando midfield, never able to get competitive

Dubai´s Touch slowly inot stride, tracked leaders, ridden halfway, weakened 2f out

Crocodile Bay led, ridden and headed over 3f out, weakened over 2f out

Final Verse chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, soon weakened

Oceana Gold in touch on outside, ridden and weakened over 1f out

Lang Shining held up, headway on outside over 2f out, weakened over 1f out

Emerald Wilderness chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, weakened 2f out

Mujood in touch, ridden over 4f out, weakened over 3f out

Pride Of Nation held up on outside, ridden 3f out, never on terms

Samarinda awkward start, soon prominent, ridden halfway, weakened 3f out

Sir Xaar midfield, pushed along halfway, weakened over 3f out

Secret World steadied start, always behind, eased when no chance over 1f out

Fajr steadied start, always behind, eased when no chance over 2f out

Fight Club in touch, lost place halfway, eased when well behind over 2f out

A highly competitive handicap which was won by a horse officially rated between 91 and 105 for the tenth consecutive year.

This year there appeared to be a blot on the handicap in Bankable, who had been raised 19lb for winning a Goodwood Listed race easily from a subsequent winner in that grade and had just a 5lb penalty to carry in this contest, so in theory was a stone well in. He was backed into as short as 13-8 at one point, but was quite excitable and played up before leaving the paddock thenwas restless in the stalls and had to have the hood refitted. These were ominous signs for his supporters but things got worse when the stalls opened and, not only did Bankable miss the break, but the whole field came over towards the stands' rail leaving those drawn high somewhat isolated in the centre.

The statistics suggested that it was best to be drawn low or high (and race near either rail) over this straight mile and, as the race was run, Bankable had little chance of reaching a challenging position and did well to finish as close as fifth.

The pace was not that frantic, being only a tenth of a second faster than the earlier fillies' Listed race and the first four home were drawn in the six lowest stalls.

MR AVIATOR got the better of a good battle with Docofthebay and Royal Power throughout the last quarter-mile. The winner, an improver on Polytrack through the winter whose best form was at around 1m2f, put his stamina to good use to wear down his rivals. He will probably go for a Listed race back at 1m2f next.

Docofthebay, who is well suited by fast ground, has now been runner-up in both the Cambridgeshire and this race as well as being in the frame in several other good handicaps. Fitted with blinkers for the first time, he showed up for a long way, lost nothing in defeat and deserves to win a big race before long. He will reportedly attempt to gain compensation in Friday's Buckingham Palace Handicap, but he had a hard race here and will do well to recover in time.

RoyalPower, who finished half a length ahead of Docofthebay at York last month, is another whose best form is on fast and he ran pretty close to his Knavesmire mark with the runner-up. He came through to have every chance before the quarter-mile pole and stuck to his task, but was run out of it late on. He has not won since taking the German 2,000 Guineas in May 2006, but looks to have found form again for his new connections.

Apart from the favourite, the one who finished best of all was Kavachi, who has a mainly progressive profile at around 1m2f since last autumn, having risen from a mark of 64 to his current rating of 87. He finished really strongly, having been near the rear after halfway and not getting the clearest of passages, and was on the heels of the principals passing the line, so his improvement has not finished yet.

Diamond Tycoon looked a potential Classic winner when winning a Newbury maiden early last season but has had his problems since. He was in the leading group throughout and this effort showed that a good deal of his ability still remains.

Humungous handles fast ground well and, with the cheekpieces back on, was staying on late from well back without reaching a challenging position, a remark that applies largely to the run of Extraterrestrial, who had been raised 8lb for his win in the Thirsk version of this race and seemed to handle this faster surface.

Conversely, the winner's stable companion, Orchard Supreme, showed up until fading inside the last two furlongs, while Dream Lodge was staying on again after losing his place despite not looking altogether happy on the fast going.

Like the favourite, the next two in the market, Lang Shining and We'll Come, were drawn high and could never really get involved. It defies belief that with so many fancied horses drawn in the high numbers they did not go across to the far rail, as they surely could not have done worse than they did being stranded out in the centre of the track.

Lang Shiningran no sort of race on this occasion but can be given another chance, while that comment also applies to We'll Come, fitted with blinkers for the first time, who did at least show up in the centre of the track for a good way, but would have preferredmore cover.

Another drawn out wide was Oceana Gold, who had a good chance judged on last September's form with the favourite, plus he had conditions to suit and his stable has been in good form. However, like We'll Come he could never really get involved from his draw.

*John Hills reported that Pride Of Nation was unsuited by the ground.[AR]

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