Missoula mid-division, ridden 5f out, headway 2f out, stayed on strongly to lead final strides in blanket finish

Mamlook steadied start, held up towards rear, ridden and headway 2f out, strong run on outside to draw level near finish, just pipped

Liberate soon chasing leader, led over 2f out until narrowly headed 1f out, kept on well to press leaders final furlong, not quicken final strides

Bukit Tinggi mid-division, headway and edged right 2f out, slight lead 1f out and throughout final furlong until headed final strides

Som Tala in touch on rail, driven along and stayed on well final 2f

Basalt chased leaders, ridden and not much room over 1f out, stayed on same pace

Jawad in rear of mid-division, headway 2f out, hard ridden and no impression approaching final furloing

Duty Free mid-division, effort over 2f out, no extra final furlong

Baddam in rear of mid-division, ridden 4f out, headway and in touch 2f out, no extra final furlong

Tritonville Lodge took keen hold in midfield, driven along and no headway final 3f

Power Of Future took keen hold, held up in rear, shaken up over 2f out, some headway over 1f out, not reach leaders

Galient chased leaders, not clear run and snatched up over 2f out, beaten when not much room over 1f out

Vinando in touch until weakened final 2f

Clear Reef dwelt, took keen hold, settled in rear, ridden 3f out, never near leaders

Legend Erry led until over 2f out, soon weakened

Hawridge Prince ridden 3f out, always behind

Daltaban prominent, outpaced and beaten when squeezed over 2f out, soon lost place

Tears Of A Clown held up towards rear, lost action and pulled up over 3f out, dead

This race is not quite the lottery that it used to be with the safety limit reduced to 20 these days and this year's renewal was reduced further by two non-runners. Perhaps not surprisingly, dual-purpose trainers have a decent record in this with Martin Pipe (twice), Tony Martin (twice) and Paul Webber having trained the winner since 2000. Once again, trainers who are better known for their exploits over jumps were well represented.

Many of these had questions to answer over this marathon trip, but although the early pace set by Legend Erry looked generous enough, it appeared to slow down at around halfway and several were still in with a shout starting up the home straight. The fact that only a thick cigarette paper would have covered the first four at the line was a triumph for the handicapper.

MISSOULA, having her third outing for Suzy Smith, had finished a long way behind Som Tala in the Chester Cup when she was apparently in season, but she had run much better at Haydock on her previous start. There was a question over her ability to show her best going right-handed and she must also have given her rider a bit of a fright at the start as she fly-jumped leaving the stalls, but despite that she was soon able to take a handy position justbehind the leaders. Her chances did not look that bright when she came off the bridle running towards the home bend and several were travelling better than her at that point, but she answered her rider's every call and poked her head between Bukit Tinggiand Mamlook to steal the prize near the line. She still looks to be improving and is now likely to be aimed at the Cesarewitch in the autumn.

Mamlook, from a stable with a fine record in this contest, had won over 1m5f when with Kevin Prendergast,but his three wins over hurdles for David Pipe last jumps season were all at around 2m so there was a slight question over the trip. Stamina was not an issue as things turned out, but he was forced to make his effort widest of all and had to cover plentyof ground to get into a challenging position. Despite that he did look like scoring at one point, but the mare snatched the prize from him near the line.

Bukit Tinggi, bidding for a hat-trick offan 8lb higher mark, was always in a good position and looked likely to win when collaring Liberate a furlong out, but he could never quite stamp his authority on the contest and the last half-furlong may have just found him out.

Som Tala, third inthis last year, had been hiked up 6lb after finishing runner-up in the Chester Cup and he ran another solid race after holding every chance, but he has not scored since September 2006.

Basalt, a neck behind an eased-down Bukit Tinggi at York last time, also ran with plenty of credit and though he is yet to win on turf, he should put that right when dropped back to 2m.

Jawad stayed on without ever quite managing to land a blow and is another that would probably have benefited from a strongerpace, whilst Duty Free ran an improved race on this second start for Charles Egerton over this longer trip.

Baddam, winner of this race off a 4lb lower mark in 2006 for Mick Channon before following up in the Queen Alexandra, was not disgracedon this return to handicap company having been mostly plying his trade at Pattern level since then, but he is probably still a bit too high in the weights.

Galient, who has been running well over hurdles for Nicky Henderson this year, was still in with some sort of a chance when squeezed out between Som Tala and the weakening Daltaban approaching the last two furlongs, but for which he would have been closer. [DB]

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