EARTHLIGHT took his perfect record to five in a dramatic renewal of the Group 1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

The Andre Fabre-trained colt held the persistent challenge of Golden Horde in the hands of Mickael Barzalona to land the honours in a race that was highly-anticipated.

However, there was a shock at the start where the also-unbeaten Siskin was withdrawn after the Ger Lyons-trained colt reared and went down in the stalls.

In race itself, King Neptune went off at a furious pace, followed by runaway York winner Mums Tipple, Golden Horde and Summer Sands.

Earthlight and Threat were towards the rear and it was the former who burst through to make his bid, only for Golden Horde to prove a worthy rival.

It was close to home that the 11/4 favourite was able to assert and score by a neck from the Clive Cox-trained Golden Horde (16/1), with Richard Fahey’s Summer Sands outrunning his odds of 100/1 to finish a length and three-quarters back in third.