Out On A Lim

It is only a furlong difference between the G1 July Cup and G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S., but for Henry Candy it seems like a grand canyon as he prepares Paul Jacobs's Limato (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) for the five-furlong speed test at York on Friday. So impressive in Newmarket's six-furlong feature July 9, the 4-year-old who had previously finished fourth in the G1 Lockinge S. over a mile at Newbury May 14 bids to become the first older horse since Cadeaux Genereux (GB) to complete that particular big-race double in 1989. “He seems to be in good form. Mr Jacobs has parted with a huge amount of money to supplement him, so we hope for the best,” Candy said. “I'm in favour of giving it a try, I'm not at all confident. I think a very fast, very flat five might just find him out, but it's worth a try. He'll run well. Good horses do different things. Good old trainers used to say if they had a really good Derby winner it would win the July Cup. It would be fantastic if he could run like he did in the July Cup–if he can transfer that to five furlongs–but the Nunthorpe is always a very exciting race.”

 
Last year's winner Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) faces contrasting ground conditions to 12 months ago, when she upstaged Acapulco (Scat Daddy) on a rain-deadened surface, but at least comes here on the back of a win in the G2 Sapphire S. over this trip at The Curragh July 16. Trainer Michael Dods also saddles Al Shaqab Racing and Ritchie Fiddes's 3-year-old filly Easton Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who was a strong-finishing fourth behind Take Cover (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), Washington DC (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Goldream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the G3 King George S. at this distance at Goodwood July 29. “She is in great form,” Dods said of the defending champ. “Paul [Mulrennan] sat on her last week and he's delighted with her. Easton Angel is as well. If we get good ground, we'll be happy. It's a good track and there are showers forecast. It's going to be Mecca's Angel's last season, so as long as it's not too quick we'll probably let her take her chance. She seems to run well fresh. She ran well in Ireland and I wouldn't really have wanted to run her since. Easton Angel is the opposite. She went to Goodwood and was a bit unlucky. She's a good filly and at this stage she's probably better than Mecca's Angel was.”

 
Alan Spence's Profitable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is unbeaten over this trip this season, with battling performances in the G3 Palace House S. at Newmarket Apr. 30, G2 Temple S. at Haydock May 21 and G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot June 14 preceding an honorable fourth behind Limato in the July Cup. “Being a Group one winner, he would have carried a penalty in the King George at Goodwood over five furlongs so we took our chance in the July Cup over six,” trainer Clive Cox said. “He ran with credit and you couldn't say he didn't stay, but he is more effective over five.” Two 2-year-olds bid to take advantage of the huge weight allowance and they are Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's G3 Molecomb S. winner Yalta (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and the June 16 G2 Norfolk S. scorer Prince of Lir (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). The former was impressive in the July 27 Glorious Goodwood contest, which was his first try at this distance and trainer Mark Johnston is convinced he has the pace for this challenge. “He'd shown form over six, but looking at the size and scope we couldn't really think he'd be better over five,” he explained. “James McDonald jumped off at Newmarket and told us to go back to five as he had incredible speed. He's an imposing, big horse, which is why we thought he might want further but when you have so much speed the obvious thing is the Nunthorpe.”