And.... they're off!

Quiet Evening In moving into the lead now, Quiet Evening In starting to pull away from the pack.

The rest of the runners are still bunched up, nothing much to choose between them - except for Poker School who, of course, got left at the starting gate today.

Cheap Eats At The Muslim is the best of the rest at the moment. Then its Late Night At Jianghu, Cultural Outing and Fancy Restaurant. Avalanche Of Shooters still looking dangerously strong just behind them - this one often takes us by surprise, seems to go best on a Wednesday or a Thursday.

Behind them it's Pool Bar and Noisy Rock Gig, both looking a little sluggish today. They've each had a great run of results just lately, but you have to feel perhaps they've been over-raced.

Bringing up the rear it's Pick-Up Joint: didn't get off to a very good start, and now starting to lose touch with the others.

Approaching the final furlong now, and Quiet Evening In appears to be fading. Never likes to have to make all the running from the start, and it's starting to take its toll now. Cheap Eats At The Muslim is going to overhaul her soon. But Cultural Outing and Fancy Restaurant are both looking very fresh, perhaps benefitting from having been rested for a couple of weeks; they're now coming on very strongly at the finish. Cheap Eats At The Muslim has the lead now, but Cultural Outing is right behind..... and Fancy Restaurant is making a tremendous surge down the outside.

Oh, oh dear, Cultural Outing seems to have a problem: Cultural Outing has thrown a shoe and has been pulled up. It's Fancy Restaurant and Cheap Eats At The Muslim fighting for the lead now. Cheap Eats still has it by a neck, but Fancy Restaurant is coming on strongly.

But wait - Late Night At Jianghu is suddenly making a storming run on the rails. Got boxed in at the back there for a while, but has suddenly come through from nowhere and is rapidly gaining ground in 3rd. Then it's Pool Bar in 4th; Avalanche Of Shooters still hanging in there in 5th. Quiet Evening In now 6th and still going backwards. Then it's Pick-Up Joint from Noisy Rock Gig bringing up the rear, both looking rather out of touch now.

And as they enter the home straight I think Fancy Restaurant has got a nose in front, but Cheap Eats At The Muslim refuses to be beaten...... and Late Night At Jianghu is finishing very strongly indeed, nearly drawing level with them now. It's a thrilling finish, it could be anybody's race, and as they come to the line the winner is............

Well, in my world - it could be all three of them. Decisions, decisions.