Belardo came home best to claim Group One glory in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.

Winner of the Dewhurst Stakes as a juvenile, Roger Varian's charge 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.

The Ger Lyons-trained Endless Drama ran a fantastic race to finish third on his first start since finishing second to Gleneagles in the Irish 2,000 Guineas almost a year ago.

Limato, the 3-1 favourite, travelled well for a long way but did not appear to get home on his first attempt at a mile and finished fourth.

Atzeni said: "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."

He added of his renewed association this year with the Varian yard: "Roger is a great boss and we work well together, there's a great team at home and I'm very lucky to work with him."

Varian said: "He salvaged his year last year by chasing home Solow at Ascot. That really told us to keep him in training.

"To win a race like this is why connections kept him in training, so I'm delighted for Sheikh Mohammed and his Godolphin operation and also Prince Faisal. They kept patience with the trainer and they've been rewarded."

He went on: "I always kept the faith in the horse, as his work was outstanding at home. He's got masses of talent.

"We messed him around a bit last year as we had him ready for races and then didn't run because of the firm ground. Then we tried him over six furlongs and he's not a sprinter.

"The team at home have done a fantastic job and I'm delighted for the horse, as he deserved another big one, I thought. He'll certainly be trained for Royal Ascot (Queen Anne) - that's where we'd like to be. God willing we get there in one piece."

Botti was delighted with the performance of Euro Charline, if a little frustrated to come up narrowly short.

He said: "She was travelling so well, but at the same time I thought she was going to get there too soon.

"The winner just came from off the pace. Ryan said he wished they'd taken him a bit further, but she didn't do anything wrong and she's a good filly.

"This year she's run three good races, but she probably deserves to win a Group One in England now. We're very happy she's run another big race, but when they get that close you just want them to put their head in front.

"I'll speak to the owners, but we'll probably skip Royal Ascot and head for the Falmouth Stakes (Newmarket). Then she'll have a break and later in the season the Breeders' Cup will be the target."

Lyons said of Endless Drama: "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."

Limato's trainer Henry Candy is not ruling out another run over a mile in the future.

He said: "I don't think many questions were answered really. I think the main thing is we're not having winners in the yard at this stage of the season, which has been the same for the last few years.

"That's probably why the horse flattened out, over the fact that he didn't stay. Having said that, he started off like a sprinter again as he jumped well, but he didn't pull too hard. In short, we've got a lot of head scratching to do.

"He'll stay in the Diamond Jubilee and the Queen Anne. We'll just have to see how he gets on. If the yard in general improves a lot, there'll be more belief that it was his condition today that got him beat and we'd be a bit more bullish about going over a mile again." BHB