IN conditions rated slow, but looking more akin to heavy, the Irish-bred Mugatoo prevailed in the $5 million All Star Mile at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Settled midfield by Hugh Bowman, the Henrythenavigator gelding looked to be in strife on the bend with a wall of four blocking the path forward.

A sidewise look by Bowman offered no options, before half a gap was enough for him to urge Mugatoo forward with Russian Camelot looming on the outside. With a clear passage hard won, Mugatoo and Russian Camelot went stride-for-stride, with the Group 1 Metropolitan (2,400 metres) runner-up’s stamina key to the result.