Losing the battle, winning the war

AS Phillip Hobbs dissected Planet Of Sound’s winning run, groups of journalists broke away from the huddle like chunks from an iceberg, drawn towards the warmer waters surrounding War Of Attrition.

Mouse Morris’ much-loved eleven-year old, in his last race, had just applied the final brush strokes to a storied career by finishing a crowd-pleasing second behind the victorious British raider in the Guinness Gold Cup.

As final bows go, it was a neat fit as it was another runners-up spot – behind Brave Inca in the 2004 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham - which had first brought him to the wider world’s attention.