Banner scorches to Jubilee success Aidan O'Brien's Australian recruit Starspangledbanner led his rivals a merry dance in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Choisir colt was sent off the 13-2 joint-favourite for the six-furlong heat having finished fifth in the Duke Of York Stakes on his Ballydoyle debut and was soon leading the stands' side group in the hands of Johnny Murtagh. He began to assert his authority in the final furlong and he came home as length and three-quarters ahead of Society Rock. American raider Kinsale King was third, with Fleeting Spirit faring best of those that raced on the far side in fourth. Murtagh said: "Aidan was very confident coming into this race. He told me just to jump him out and let him use that stride and when you get to the two (pole), don't be anxious and when you do go for him I think he will respond today. "Everything just worked perfect. He jumped well, travelled really well, a good strong gallop all the way. "I sensed them coming to him at the two and when I let him go, he ran straight up the rail. He responded very well and went all the way to the line. I couldn't pull him up. He's a great horse. "He's very similar to his sire Choisir, big and strong. "Today when I rode him he was different, he was in a different zone. "There was 20 lengths improvement from York."
