Limato targets two out of three in hard-to-call Darley July Cup

Limato looks the value call as he bids to regain his crown in a wide-open renewal of the Darley July Cup at Newmarket today.

Henry Candy’s stable star was a brilliant winner of the six-furlong Group One in 2016 and ran arguably just as well in last year’s renewal, finishing an excellent second when conceding weight to the three-year-old Harry Angel. Limato rounded off last season with a dominant victory in the seven-furlong Challenge Stakes at the Rowley Mile, meaning he has won twice and been second once in three trips to Newmarket.

The current campaign has been underwhelming so far, with the six-year-old finishing down the field in both the Lockinge at Newbury and the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.

However, trainer Henry Candy has since admitted defeat in his attempt to stretch out Limato’s stamina to a mile and he is now back at his preferred distance. In fact, he has never finished out of the first three after ten career starts over six furlongs, making his doublefigure odds appealing.

Jim Goldie expects another big run from Theglasgowwarrior at Hamilton tonight.

Goldie’s charge, partnered by Jamie Gormley, goes for the £14,000 Sunday Mail Handicap over 1m 4f. The Uplawmoor trainer said: “We fancied him to win the Braveheart Stakes, in which he was fourth, so we ended up winning a decent handicap at Hamilton the next time instead! He’s since run in the Cumberland Plate and been second in a Class 3 race at Musselburgh so there’s no reason why he shouldn’t run well again.”

Also in the line-up is Killdeer, trained for Godolphin by Saeed bin Suroor, who has sent out one winner from his last six runners in the past five years at the Lanarkshire track.

A son of Derby hero New Approach, he will be tackling handicap company and the trip for the first time.