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Starspangledbanner completed a big Group One double when he followed up his Golden Jubilee Stakes victory at Royal Ascot by taking the Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

Aidan O’Brien’s speedball (2-1 favourite) slightly missed the kick and was soon chased along behind fellow Royal Ascot hero Equiano, with Johnny Murtagh steering him over to the far rail.

He looked to have it to do a furlong out as 66-1 chance Alverta threatened, with Fleeting Spirit and Kingsgate Native just behind, but the ex-Australian ace found plenty for pressure to foil the gallant Equiano by a neck. Alverta finished third.

O’Brien said: “He’s very tough, he’s a serious horse. Johnny made the decision to go over to the far rail and it paid off.

“He’s got some courage and great pace. Very few horses have that much courage when they are so fast. It was great that the two Ascot winners were first and second, it’s great when they come together like that.”

Murtagh added: “Not many horses win this after winning at Ascot, but he’s not just got class, he’s got plenty of guts and he’s hardy.

“I thought the rail would help my horse, I had to make my own mind up and it helped win the race. Stamina helped us win it, some Australian horses don’t go up the hill but this lad does.”

Connections now face a decision on whether Starspangledbanner goes to stud or stays in training.

O’Brien explained: “We have to decide by midnight if he is going to go to Australia for the covering season.

“John (Magnier), Michael (Tabor) and all the lads (at Coolmore) will debate hard over the next few hours and we will only know after that if he is going to go into quarantine. I’ll give my penny’s worth and as you all know I’d love to see him stay here and keep on racing.”

Golden Jubilee hero Starspangledbanner features among 17 confirmations for the Darley July Cup next Friday.

The Australian import got off the mark on European soil with an impressive win at Royal Ascot and is likely to sign off his racing career at Newmarket next week, when his trainer Aidan O’Brien could also be represented by Alfred Nobel.

A number of those beaten in the Golden Jubilee are set to reoppose, including the runner-up Society Rock, the American-trained third Kinsale King and last year’s July Cup winner Fleeting Spirit.

She finished fourth in the Golden Jubilee on her first start of the season, despite being done no favours by the draw.

Marchand D’Or won this in 2008 and is another who could bid for a second win in the Group One contest.

King’s Stand winner Equiano could step back up to six furlongs, as could Australian speedster Nicconi.

John Gosden has left in both Meezaan and Showcasing, Alain de Royer-Dupre could be represented by Varenar and War Artist, while Balthazaar’s Gift, Kingsgate Native, Prime Defender, Alverta and Serious Attitude complete the possibles.

Godolphin have been forced to call a halt on the career of Australian import Denman as he will not be fit enough to do himself justice in next week’s Darley July Cup.

The four-year-old, a Group One winner at Rosehill back home, will now take up stud duties Down Under, which was always the plan for the son of Lonhro. Connections had hoped to run him in the highlight of the July meeting at Newmarket but have run out of time.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said: “We are not going to run him in the July Cup because he is not fit enough.”

He added: “What the plan is, and what the plan has always been, is that there is a quarantine for Australia straight after the July meeting and the intention was that he would always return to the southern hemisphere and we don’t have time to find another race for him.

“Quarantine starts straight after the July meeting and he’s not ready to run so unfortunately we’ve run out of time.”

His impending withdrawal would free up Frankie Dettori for the ride on Fleeting Spirit, if that is the direction in which her trainer Jeremy Noseda decided to go, with Tom Queally, who partnered her to victory 12 months ago, also in the frame.

Another who will miss the race is Brian Meehan’s Arcano. One of last season’s leading juveniles, the colt has only been seen once this season, when well beaten by the Richard Hannon pair of Dick Turpin and Canford Cliffs in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

He had still been quoted by bookmakers for the sprint on the July Course but connections admitted it will come too soon.

Angus Gold, owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s racing manager, said: “Arcano is on his way back. His blood took a long time to get back right after Newbury, it was just a few silly little things that have taken him a bit longer than we hoped.

“We were hoping to get him ready for the July Cup next week but he’s not quite going to make it. I hope he will be back on the track in the next two to three weeks.”

Prime Defender will head to Newmarket next month following his solid performance at Royal Ascot.

Barry Hills’ six-year-old entire finished ninth behind Starspangledbanner in the Golden Jubilee Stakes on Saturday. Winner of a white-hot renewal of the Duke of York Stakes on his penultimate start, the son of Bertolini will next be sighted in the Darley July Cup.

“We were delighted with Prime Defender’s effort in the Golden Jubilee,” Barry Hills told www.barryhills.com.

“It felt like every top six-furlong horse in the world was in the paddock before the race, and if he had been drawn a couple of stalls lower he could have tacked across to the near side and maybe finished a bit closer.

“Nevertheless, it was a great effort and we are going onto the July Cup next with him.”