Betting: Candy’s Limato to taste sweet July Cup success
Seeing Henry Candy land his first Royal Ascot winner for 37 years last month brought a smile to the face of many.
The Wantage handler lifted the Diamond Jubilee Stakes thanks to a battling effort from his Twilight Son and on Saturday he asks the son of Kyllachy to double up in the July Cup (4.35pm) at Newmarket.
Both of the four-year-old’s Group One wins have come on a softer surface, and if the ground deteriorates he’d be a leading fancy. But it’s been fair all week at HQ and I don’t see conditions getting too testing.
That might not stop Candy from celebrating another big Saturday success, though, as stablemate LIMATO also lines up.
The race looks set to be run at a blistering pace and that will suit my selection who has both speed and stamina.
The likes of King’s Stand winner Profitable and runner-up Cotai Glory may have an abundance of speed, but a fast-run six furlongs might see them toiling at the business end of the race.
Not only have five of Limato’s six wins come over today’s trip, the son of Tagula has also scored over seven furlongs and he finished fourth in the Lockinge.
The latter was his first crack at a mile and the soft ground was against him.
I think he will be far more effective over a stiff six furlongs on better ground so take the 6/1 with Betway.
There really is a feast of racing around the country on Saturday with top class cards at Ascot and York as well as Newmarket.
Down in Berkshire, the 20-runner five furlong heritage handicap (2.45pm) looks as wide open as you would expect.
Maljaa and Hoofalong are sure to be popular but my eye is drawn to ROBOT BOY.
Although David Barron’s six-year-old hasn’t won since April 2015, he was only beaten 3 ½ lengths in last year’s King’s Stand off a mark of 106 before finishing fourth in this race.
He is now down to 95, while the return of regular pilot Graham Gibbons and the likely quick ground are both big positives.
At York, I’m hoping QUEST FOR MORE can strike in the Listed John Smith’s Silver Cup (3.40pm).
Roger Charlton’s inmate ran a stormer over course and distance in May to finish second to Moonrise Landing.
That was his first start since a respectable ninth in November’s Melbourne Cup and his trainer has been waiting for this better ground.
With the trip and conditions perfect, I expect him to have too much for the likes of Curbyourenthusiasm and Mr Singh.
The big betting race on the Knavesmire is the historic John Smith’s Cup (4.15pm) where I will be backing CARRY ON DERYCK and BASEM for Godolphin at 12/1 and 25/1 respectively.
The boys in blue have had a great time of it recently and both of these can go well following their runs in the Royal Hunt Cup.
Carry On Deryck looked like the step up in trip would suit when finishing ninth, while Basem, although down the field, was having his first start of the campaign.
Even though they are both high in the weights, I think they will prove to be better than handicappers later in the season and look good each-way value.
POINTERS: Saturday
Robot Boy e/w 2.45pm Ascot
Quest For More 3.40pm York
Carry On Deryck e/w 4.15pm York
Basem e/w 4.15pm York
Limato e/w 4.35pm Newmarket