A typical renewal of this race which gives the Gold Cup nearly horses their chance to shine at Grade 2 level. There was not the usual strong pace associated with the race but the first three came clear around the home bend as the only other contender onofficial figures. Monkerhostin again ran a strange race, although with the excuse of being badly hampered by the fall of My Will at the first and then being barged by Beef Or Salmon.

The result was still undecided as CELESTIAL GOLD and Take The Stand went to the last upsides but while the former flew it, Take The Stand got in close and landed steeply to all but get rid of his rider and leave Celestial Gold to win unchallenged and flattered by the winning margin. Celestial Gold looked well onthe way to being a leading Gold Cup contender when winning the 2004 Hennessy under a penalty for his Paddy Power win earlier in the month but injury intervened. After a promising comeback last year, he could not get competitive in the Gold Cup of 2005 and having his first race since in this year's renewal, there was a glimmer of his old exuberance before he fell midrace. Exuberance underplays his attitude here as he bounded around with his rider having difficulty in keeping him buried in the pack and the worry had to be that he would pay for that in the finish. He was still running away into the home bend but he had been shaken up to take the gap between Take The Stand and L'Ami after two out. While he hung left behind the leader when given a slap going to the last, he then made up the length and a half helped by Take The Stand shortening into the fence and there was no sign of tiredness up the run-in to suggest he may well have won anyway. Connections had no plans beyond dreaming of the Gold Cup nextyear and even before this performance he had the profile a solid each-way contender. As such bookmakers had to cut him from the general 33-1 to between 14-1 and 20-1. While his overall form, including an impressive defeat of Ollie Magern and Royal Auclair in his Hennessy, leaves him looking a solid 165-rated horse which would not win a Gold Cup, this was the first time for a long time that he really travelled through his race and he will only be nine next year and this screamed he needs inclusion in any Gold Cup portfolio.

:305px;width:305px;">Take The Stand ruined his Gold Cup chances with mistakes. He again belted a couple of fences as he was tucked away against the inside rail. If he had got the last right, the impression was that he would have gone close. This was the race for him getting all the allowances but he again let it slip and he remains devilishly difficult to place off his rating as his jumping lets him down at the highest level.

L'Ami, a confirmed soft-ground winner, has a profile of getting outpaced at a vital stage on a sounder surface before keeping on and it was much the same here as he looked the likely winner as he skipped over four out but taking the wider line of the three, he was collared and a mistake two out knocked more out of him than Celestial Gold's similar error at the fence. He still kept on well enough to finish well clear of the rest but is flattered to finish so close to the runner-up, form which suggests at the revised weights he has more than reproduced his Gold Cup run. Monkerhostin has plenty to prove now and certainly did not look the same as either his Haldon Gold Cup or King George run which fully entitled him to his high rating. He had excuses here and if brought out again at Sandown for the season's end on likely livelier ground, he still merits respect.

See You Sometime lasted longest of the leaders but was readily left behind around the home bend while both Ollie Magern and Royal Emperor had weakened disappointingly early.

Beef Or Salmon added another sad chapter to his trips to England but can hardly be blamed this time. He exited early when a clumsy jump, which still was not going to get rid of his jockey did just that as he cannoned into Monkerhostinand his rider was swiped out sideways.[BJ]

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