Tighter, fitter, harder Elarqam comes of age with glittering York Stakes success

Elarqam provided the red-hot Mark Johnston yard with yet another big-race summer success, but there was something different about this latest victory. It was a palpable sense of pride for a horse clearly adored by the Johnston family.

The winner started last year as a live hope for the 2,000 Guineas yet ended the campaign with four straight defeats and his reputation tarnished.

However the signs had been more positive this year, with two Listed wins already to his name and, perhaps for the first time since his two-year-old season, the real Elarqam was on show at York as he put former Group 2 and Royal Ascot winner Addeybb to the sword with a three-and-a-quarter-length success in the Sky Bet York Stakes.

"I'm just over the moon for the horse as much as anything," said assistant trainer Charlie Johnston. "We felt there was a lot of trust placed in us when Sheikh Hamdan sent him to our yard.

"He was a 1.6 million guineas yearling and it was a big deal for him to come to us. We were very bullish about him going into the Guineas last year and the wheels kind of came off last season."

He added: "It's fantastic the horse has bounced back this year and proved to everyone he's top class. He's definitely improved from three to four and I said to Dane O'Neill before he got on that this is the best order this horse has ever been in.

"He just looks a tighter, fitter, harder individual than last year and I'm made up."

Unusually for the Johnston team, Elarqam does not hold any lofty entries, but the assistant trainer said they would be happy to supplement for the right race granted Sheikh Hamdan's blessing, with the Group 1 Juddmonte International over course and distance next month an "obvious" contender.

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