SAINTS legend Mick Channon was uncharacteristically taciturn - not symbolic of a sour mood, simply stunned at what he had witnessed.

Normally erudite and chatty in a post-race analysis, he thought he had found the ideal opportunity for Tigerwolf as his SP odds of 2/9 demonstrated.

But he only scrambled home by inches in the seven furlong maiden at Salisbury yesterday and might well have lost the race had the debutant Port Isaac taken anything like a straight course.

Instead the Marcus Tregoning-trained colt drifted like a rudderless barge from one side of the track to the other, surprisingly taking the experienced Tigerwolf with him.

"I don't know what to say," Channon confessed, scratching his head in the hope of finding a solution. "I wanted to give him an easy race but he hasn't had one. He's run against far better than this. He's a nice horse and you can forget what you've seen today. He's far better than that and has not run to his mark."

Equally baffled was Owen Burrows - but for all the wrong reasons - after Massaat had been beaten the best part of a furlong in the one mile feature race.

Massaat, second in the 2,000 Guineas in May, dropped out alarmingly after making the early running, leaving the rookie trainer to confine himself to saying: "I am very disappointed. We'll take him home and see if we can find an issue."

Paul Hanagan however rationalised: "It might be the ground."

But the going was very much to the liking of Zonderland who had beaten four lengths by Massaat at Newmarket where the notorious dip might have slightly unbalanced him, and the heavy ground had sabotaged his chance in the French Guineas.

"He's very much better on good ground," said an overjoyed Clive Cox. "I am very pleased. We have always believed in this horse from the beginning and this will have been a great confidence booster. In face Oisin thinks he might have got there too early."

However the gentlemanly Cox was conscious of his rival's demise. "I don't know what happened to him. I hope nothing has happened."

Zonderland is engaged in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood but Cox is unsure the track will suit him and didn't appear too enthusiastic about the Breeders Cup but hopes he will stay in training next year.

On a good afternoon for punters, Gravity Wave and Seafarer put their experience to good use in the two divisions of the seven furlong maiden auction.

The former still displayed immaturity by ducking left at the start but ran on well to mug market rival Caducci on the post and give trainer Sylvester Kirk his 11th individual two-year-old winner of the season.

"He's improving and should be a nice horse next year."

Similar sentiments were expressed by Tregoning whose Seafarer is crying out for a longer trip.

"He's quite raw but we like him a lot. We have not worked him much at home because of the ground and he will have learnt a lot. He already needs a mile and will see what the handicapper does."

Sir Michael Stoute has a high opinion of Dubka who took the 12 furlong handicap by a hard fought short head but the Dubawi filly is a horse who only does the minimum.

"At home and on the racecourse she only does what she has to do," explained jockey Ted Durcan. "Sir Michael has always liked her and brought her along slowly. She stays well and is extremely well related."

Hat trick seeking Mia Tesoro saw off None Blue in yet another photo finish but jockey Jim Crowley reported: "She wasn 't doing a stroke up front. He had won over a mile and a quarter and when the gap appeared I had to take it and hold onto her as much as I could."