THE Group 2 Arqana July Stakes was packed with lightly-raced youngsters, eight of whom had won last time out. However, in the end the two most experienced colts fought out the finish as Mark Johnston’s Cardsharp (James Doyle) readily held Aidan O’Brien’s U S Navy Flag. Coventry Stakes winner Rajasinghe, with plenty to do at halfway, kept on for third without ever threatening.

For quite a while it looked as if those against the far rails would hold sway, with recent course and distance winner Invincible Army battling away with U S Navy Flag. Ryan Moore finally had the better of that argument on the Ballydoyle horse but Cardsharp, who raced in the trio down the middle, stayed on really strongly to prevail by just under two lengths.