A big day for Shadow Of Light but The Lion In Winter still has a bigger reputation despite not turning up

It wasn't the Dewhurst we thought we were getting, a foot problem turning The Lion In Winter into a really disappointing withdrawal. So instead of a race that answered questions, we got one that opened up possibilities, connections of the first three coming away with good reason to be cheerful about their prospects.

Shadow Of Light took over as favourite by default, but it was a tricky situation for the betting market to judge since the seventh furlong clearly amounted to a significant question in his case. Just a fortnight earlier his trainer clearly had no thought of coming back for the Dewhurst, and it is hard to take even money with confidence in those circumstances.

He prevailed only by two necks and anyone glancing at the bare result would interpret it as unimpressive. But second and third had the best of the ground on the stands' side, while Shadow Of Light beat the horses on his side then tacked over and quickened past the others, a really significant achievement for a horse who'd had stamina to prove.