With just a neck between kennelmates Seomra Rock and Greenlough Power, it made for a cracking William Hill Pall Mall final at Oxford Stadium.

The pair had been the leading fancies all through the competition.

But it couldn't have been scripted better as trainer Ernie Gaskin Jnr was in tears on the podium.

Both he and the owners, the Wright family, had reached around six category one finals before, but had never come out on top, so Tuesday's victory was a great relief for both parties.

But just how unlucky was Greenlough Power in second place as he finished the race with a gashed foot which required seven stitches before the journey home.

Power, who is being aimed at the Derby, will now have to go into the competition without the benefit of a trial run.

It was a superb night's racing, but it was a pity that there were not more there to watch it.

Coming a day after Easter Monday may have had something to do with it.

Local dog Raging Jack, trained by Maurice Massey, got the night off to a flying start.

The son of former top-class staying bitch Southlodge Rage, Jack missed the start and had to use some trackcraft to zip through on the rails and emerge with all guns blazing down the back straight.

Local owners Harry and Maggie White were over the moon with their charge, who takes in another puppy open at Hall Green on Tuesday.

There were some classy performances from the likes of marathon star Star of Dromin and top hurdler Druids Mickey Jo.

Star of Dromin's 26.76 sectional time was faster than the Pall Mall winner as he came home over 11 lengths clear of his rivals.

Oxford owner Stuart Locke-Hart enjoyed success with the Russell Sansom-trained Penn Lacey, who will now be aimed at the Irish Oaks.

The next big race at Oxford is the William Hill Cesarewitch which gets under way on Friday, June 2 with the final on Tuesday, June 13.