JOHN Gosden will long remember this remarkable campaign and Shalaa provided another Group 2 success in the Arqana July Stakes when the Newmarket July Meeting opened on a warm, sunny afternoon on Thursday.

There was plenty of Royal Ascot form on show, with Godolphin’s 9/2 co-favourite Steady Pace trying to improve on his Windsor Castle third. He was always well there and had every chance but could not reach Shalaa, who led a furlong out and ran on well for Rab Havlin to score by a length despite veering sharply left under pressure. Elronaq finished a fair third but Windsor Castle runner-up Areen was a disappointing sixth.

Shalaa, an Invincible Spirit colt, was stepping up markedly on his victory in a six-furlong maiden on the Rowley Mile Course. With Buick, Doyle and Dettori all required by their retaining owners, this was a welcome boost for reliable understudy Havlin in the Al Shaqab Racing colours and it is no disrespect to him to say that the arrangements contributed to a 14/1 starting price

“Shalaa showed a nervous nature last time so we avoided the Coventry Stakes,” Gosden reported. “I’ve brought him down here a few times to school and he’s learning. He’s always been our fastest two-year-old and the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood is next.”

LUMIERE LIGHTS UP

Mark Johnston continues in sublime form and unveiled a very talented newcomer in Lumiere, easy winner of the second division of the John Deere Maiden over six furlongs.

A Shamardal filly out of the Tobougg mare Screen Star, she was sent off at 6/5 favourite and broke smartly for William Buick, scoring by six lengths from Sharja Queen. There are no firm plans at present but she will clearly stay quite a bit further.

The winner is owned by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and Johnston will have discussions about the next target, though the Cheveley Park looks a possibility before the Fillies’ Mile. There must be a chance that Lumiere will switch to Godolphin at some stage but Johnston has never minded the arrangement.

In fact the winning time was quite ordinary, though nearly a second faster than Charlie Fellowes’ Salvo, 10/1, recorded when comfortably taking the first division under Frankie Dettori.

Johnston also won with Resonant, who led all the way for Buick in the Unibet Handicap, leaving behind two poor outings of late.

A three-week break had obviously done him the world of good as he beat Gibeon by just over three lengths. This was a smart effort and he will be kept to a mile and a quarter plus from now on.