RACING: All good things come to an end and Australian superstar Choisir's summer of success was brought to an abrupt halt as Oasis Dream outgunned him in a thrilling head-to-head confrontation for the Darley July Cup at Newmarket yesterday.

The giant Antipodean raider catapulted out of the favoured stall one under Johnny Murtagh to set a breathtaking pace in his bid to add this Group One prize to Royal Ascot successes in the King's Stand Stakes.

And for half of the six-furlong trip, it looked as though he just might have his 15 rivals under the cosh. Many of them were, but Oasis Dream (9 to 2) was not the champion two-year-old of last year for nothing.

Having sat in third for the early stages, his jockey Richard Hughes asked the question approaching two out and received a positive reply as his mount loomed up alongside the leader.

It is arguable whether Oasis Dream actually got his head in front until the final half furlong as Choisir, the 9 to 4 favourite, responded bravely.

But in the end he had to give best by one and a half lengths, with the huge sun-baked crowd screaming themselves hoarse.

The filly Airwave (11 to 4), who met trouble in running, came through strongly to finish just a neck away in third. French raider Zipping was fourth.

"That was good, a really great win," smiled winning trainer John Gosden. "You knew you had to go out and attack Choisir because he's an exceptional sprinter, you saw what he did at Ascot.

"I have no doubt that Oasis can get further in time but at the moment the logical step seems to be to follow the sprinting route - the Nunthorpe (at York), the (Haydock Park) Sprint Cup and the Prix de l'Abbaye (at Longchamp)."