Aidan O’Brien’s second-string Merrily caused an upset in the Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarke on Friday.

With Ryan Moore choosing to ride Ecstatic in the Group 3 contest, Wayne Lordan stepped in for the mount on Merrily, who despite showing useful form in her five previous races seemingly had her limitations exposed.

The market concentrated on Ralph Beckett’s Cathedral, impressive winner of her only outing to date, and Ollie Sangster’s Flight, who had run well in the May Hill last time out.

With two furlongs left to run Flight appeared to be travelling very strongly indeed for Oisin Murphy on her drop in trip, but Cathedral was also beginning to hit top gear for David Egan in the Amo Racing silks.

As they began to meet the rising ground Cathedral was getting on top of Flight, but on her outside Merrily came with a sweeping run and readily accounted for the better-fancied filly to win by half a length at 25/1. Flight was over three lengths away in third.