Limato to sparkle in Diamond Jubilee

THE sprinters take centre stage on the final day of Royal Ascot tomorrow and Limato can bounce back by landing the Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Six furlongs and fast ground ideally suit the Henry Candy-trained five-yearold, as he showed when gaining an easy success in the July Cup last summer.

quickened clear in tremen- dous style that day and tomorrow (4.20) will be the first time he has since had his optimum conditions.

He showed similarly high-class form on his next two starts — when runner-up to Mecca’s Angel after being dropped to 5f in the Nunthorpe Stakes and when winning the Prix de la Foret over 7f at Chantilly — but stepping up to a mile at the Breeders’ Cup did not work out for him and he began this season with a below-par effort in Dubai.

Rain-softened ground was initially blamed for that reverse at Meydan but Candy, who says he has never trained a better horse in his distinguished 44year career, later revealed his star had returned home with pulled muscles.

Given plenty of time to recover, Limato will be hard to beat if anywhere near his best. The general 7-2 chance is officially rated at least 5lb superior to all his rivals and Ryan Moore rides him for the first time.

The Tin Man will be a threat if back in the form he showed when winning on