The new year came two days too soon for Soaked, who landed a remarkable 10th handicap victory since March at Lingfield on Saturday. The curtain call of the 1998 Flat racing programme had been enlivened by the efforts of both Soaked and Sihafi in trying to grab that elusive 10th victory which would have given one of them outright possession of the 20th Century record for handicap wins in a season.

Soaked failed on his last crack at Lingfield before Christmas while Sihafi's final stab also ended in defeat at the Surrey track on Tuesday.

But Soaked, a 7 to 2 chance, came bouncing back in the Barry Dennis Bookmaker's Handicap over his favoured five furlongs.

David Chapman's six-year-old, ridden by Tony Culhane, was soon shadowing the favourite Tear White before striking for home over a furlong out and skipping away to score by one and three-quarter lengths.

Ruth Clark, Chapman's granddaughter and assistant, ruing the day, said: "He's got the 10 wins inside 12 months. You can't take that away from him, though it's not quite the same." 99141749

Mukarrab had initiated a Chapman-Culhane double (paying almost 19 to 1) when landing his second course win of the week in beating Baptismal Rock by a stylish two and a half lengths in the Book Early for Valentines Day Handicap.

Karl Burke's Threadneedle may be poised to take on the Americans at their own game after he defied top weight with an all-the-way win in the Ladbroke All-Weather Trophy Handicap Final.

Apprentice Paul Doe, riding one of the biggest winners of his career in the £15,000 added contest, brought his mount home three-quarters of a length clear of Topton. Owner Nigel Shields said: "We'll be looking at all the options. This horse is nothing like as good on grass and would be too lowly-rated for a race like the Lincoln, so we might go and try him in America."

There were emotional scenes after Scraggys Dream came from last to first to win the Testers New Discovery Maiden Stakes. The winner ran in the name of Mrs Sue O'Keeffe, who died from cancer last May.

Father of five David O'Keefe, recalled: "Sue always had the ambition to be a racehorse owner and before she died we cashed in an insurance policy to buy this horse.

"But unfortunately she died before she could ever see it. It's been my wish that this horse would win a race in Sue's name and Sue actually came back to me in a dream and told me the horse would win."

The Tote Dual Forecast, with Sky City paid £1,472.40p.