Endless Drama ran a fantastic race to finish third in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

The Ger Lyons-trained four-year-old travelled strongly into contention on his first start since taking second to Gleneagles in the Irish 2,000 Guineas almost a year ago, but couldn't quite resist the late charge of Belardo, who came home best to claim Group 1 glory from Euro Charline.

Winner of the Dewhurst Stakes as a juvenile, Roger Varian's Belardo endured a largely disappointing three-year-old campaign in 2015, but did sign off with an excellent effort to fill the runner-up spot in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

The Lope De Vega colt impressed on his Doncaster return, but could only finish fourth behind Toormore at Sandown next time and was available at 8-1 on his return to the highest level.

With Godolphin pacemaker Barchan weakening a long way from home, last year's runner-up Toormore found himself in front plenty soon enough and was soon claimed by the strong-travelling Euro Charline under Ryan Moore.

Marco Botti's mare looked likely to collect entering the final furlong, but having ridden an ultra-patient race, Andrea Atzeni delivered Belardo with a powerful late run on the far side of the track and he got up by a length.

Lyons said: "It was the same sort of feeling we had after the (Irish) Guineas - you'd take it in the morning but now you're a bit disappointed.

"It was a hell of a run for his first time back after nearly a year off and you've seen the size of him.

"He was caught a bit flat-footed when they quickened, but the positive to take out of it is Colin (Keane) reckons we'll get a mile and a quarter easy. That was a question that's been answered.

"There was a lack of races at home for him. I would have loved to have given him a run but the ground has been heavy for the races I could have run him in.

"We'll discuss it with the owners, but if the ground is kind you'd go to Royal Ascot and then give him a mid-season break with a view to going for a Champion Stakes either side of the (Irish) sea."

Atzeni said of the winner: "The last time I sat on him was the Dewhurst - he's a good horse on his day and it's a pleasure to be back on him. I remember when I first sat on him as a two-year-old I told Roger he was the fastest I'd sat on

"They went quick, he half-fell out of the stalls, but that's him and he travelled brilliantly throughout the race and picked up when he got daylight.

"It's just on the easy side of good and probably at his very best he just needs a bit of cut."

Astronereus ran out a surprise winner of the Al Rayyan Stakes at Newbury.

The Group Three contest - better known as the Aston Park - attracted a field of five runners, with the high-class Eagle Top taking top billing on his return to action for the in-form combination of trainer John Gosden and jockey Frankie Dettori.

Making his first start since finishing down the field in last season's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the full-brother to Thursday's Dante hero Wings Of Desire was the 4-6 favourite and was settled at the rear of the field for much of the mile-and-a-half journey.

The market leader was angled wide to mount his challenge in the straight, but found disappointingly little and passed the post a well-beaten fourth.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the track, the front-running Carnachy did his best to repel all-comers, but was first claimed by Ayrad before Astronereus squeezed between the pair to take the lead.

Amanda Perrett's 14-1 winner passed the post with a length and a quarter in hand, with Ayrad a clear second.

Winning jockey Pat Dobbs said: "His form has been very good, but he had problems at the back end of last year. Amanda and the team have done a good job getting him back.

"He wants fast ground, but he's a little bit fragile in his joints and knees.

"Amanda had him fit and on that type of ground you need to be 100 per cent fit. There's plenty of options.

"It's a little bit slow, but it's not bad ground."

Perrett said: "Obviously he had it all to do on the book, but he was a progressive horse last year.

"He got very jarred up in the Ebor and we had no option but to back off him and leave him alone. That's why we didn't run him at Ascot last week.

"We were hoping he would run well, but realistically we were looking at later races for him. To win today was fantastic.

"He'll probably step up a bit in trip, but I doubt he'll go for the Gold Cup. He may run in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown, or we might go to France.

"The owner loves the Goodwood Cup, having run Tungsten Strike in it, and that's our main target."

Gosden said of Eagle Top: "He'd had a long time off and I'm perfectly happy with the horse.

"He came there full of himself and just blew up inside the final furlong and the jockey was intelligent enough to know that.

"He's full of exuberance afterwards. We just needed to get a race into him before the Hardwicke (at Royal Ascot)."