The idea of the Champions Mile being a match race between Silent Witness and champion British filly Attraction fizzed out at barrier rise when the visitor, having her first start since the end of the 2004 English flat season, was slow to begin and immediately found herself in trouble. Instead of being up outside Silent Witness, as anticipated, jockey Kevin Darley was left without options as Attraction, from barrier three, could not recover. She raced midfield, seemingly resenting the lack of racing room, and never gave a yelp in the run home, finishing 11th, beaten 151/3 lengths. 'She seems OK in herself but obviously hasn't run her race today, and perhaps that's a good thing,' said trainer Mark Johnston after spending some 20 minutes examining the filly. 'If she ran her race and was beaten off easily, then we'd have reason to be concerned that she hadn't come back as good as last year. But she's had some legitimate excuses, so we just have to press on.' However, it now seems that the Yasuda Kinen is off the agenda for last season's four-time Group One winner. Brett Prebble though he was going to cause the upset of the year on Ain't Here when the David Hayes-trained gelding loomed ominously on the outside at the 150 metres mark. 'He gave me that winning feeling again, but he just isn't quite good enough - that's as good as he is,' Prebble said. 'Every time he meets Bullish Luck, that horse beats him about the same margin. And a champion has fought him off for the second placing. He's certainly not been disgraced, he's gone to his best.' David Oughton was delighted that his old warrior, Bowman's Crossing, had found his way back to form and gone to something closer to his best with a fourth, beaten only 31/2 lengths in international Group One company. 'He's put two good runs together now and seems to be on his way back,' Oughton said. 'Our original plan had been to be in Singapore for the SIA Cup and, having seen today's performance, it's probably a pity he wasn't there. 'There isn't really anything left for him now. He doesn't really get a mile and a half, so the Champions & Chater isn't really an option.' Super Kid turned in another strong run in the best company for fifth, less than four lengths from Bullish Luck. The dual Group One winner has been invited to the Yasuda Kinen, but trainer John Size is more likely to keep him at home to defend his Champions & Chater Cup crown on May 29.
