Royal Ascot 2018: Merchant Navy clings on in head-bobbing photo-finish to the Diamond Jubilee Stakes

ROYAL ASCOT saved its most exciting race until the final day as Merchant Navy scraped home in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

Aidan O'Brien's three-year-old edged out City Light in a desperate photo-finish after hot favourite Harry Angel lost his race at the start.

It may have been only his second start for the Irish trainer, but Merchant Navy demonstrated that he needed no time settling in to his new surroundings.

Having demonstrated his abilities at the very highest level in Australia, the three-year-old joined Aidan O'Brien earlier this year with a view to having a crack at the Diamond Jubilee, and the plan came together perfectly.

However, in a contest that had more drama than a Shakespearean tragedy, it will be the beginning rather than the end that will have most people's tongues wagging.

Harry Angel, market leader for months, became unsettled in the stalls just as the race was about to begin and appeared to hook his back legs over the side of the gate.

Jockey Adam Kirby did his best to calm the hot favourite, but the pair broke clumsily and their race was run before it had even started.

Meanwhile, up ahead American raider Bound For Nowhere was trying to write a script of his own.

Wesley Ward's contender broke as alertly as Harry Angel did slowly, and was soon blazing a trail on the far side.

However, as the race reached its final furlong and a half, he began to drift over to the stands, taking Merchant Navy with him.

Luckily for Aidan O'Brien's speedster, it wasn't a race-ending move, and the former Australian racer burst into the lead with fifty yards left to run.

But the drama didn't end there, as while Bound For Nowhere was doing his best to cause as much havoc as possible, French flyer City Light crept past on his inside and had a clear run to the line.

In a head-bobbing finish, commentator Simon Holt was convinced that Christophe Soumillion had guided his French partner to victory.

However, on closer inspection it was clear that Merchant Navy had held on in the tightest of finishes - giving Aidan O'Brien his fourth winner of the week.

The winning trainer said: ";He was travelling very well and we knew looking at him that Ryan was very happy on him.

"I think Ryan was hoping not to get there too early on him and then he got a little bit of a bump and Ryan said it took him a bit of time to re-balance.