Newmarket review: Limato back to winning ways in Criterion
A round-up of the pick of the action from Newmarket's July Course as Limato successfully conceded weight all round to win the feature.
Lim hands out a beating
Limato showed he remains a force to reckoned with in rolling back the years to claim victory in the Randox Health Criterion Stakes at Newmarket.
The seven-year-old opened his account for the season after registering a third win at the July course as he successfully conceded weight to his rivals in the Group Three prize.
Travelling well throughout the seven-furlong contest, the 11/4 favourite moved into a lead he would not surrender inside the final furlong, before gamely holding the rallying Glorious Journey by a neck.
Candy said of the winner: "He loves it here. He loves going up and down hills, it is like Kingston Warren. It takes a bit of doing (carrying a penalty) and it was just telling at the end. He is a very easy winner without that.
"Our horses weren't in tremendous form at that stage (when running at York in May), they are running a bit better now. I've not seen him look as well as that for a long time. I was very happy with him.
"As he was travelling so easily Harry (Bentley) felt he had to go on, but he was idling towards the end. Harry is adamant he won with plenty in hand, and although it didn't look like it to me, Harry should know as he was on top. Ideally he likes to come a little bit later than that.
"We might go to the Curragh in three weeks' time for the Minstrel, then the Lennox (at Goodwood). I think now he is seven, Group One-sprinting is out of the window."
Winning owner Paul Jacobs had nothing but praise for the Tagula gelding following the 13th victory of his career.
He said: "He has just been an utterly fantastic animal. I don't think there are that many who keep going for that length of time. He has hardly been out of the frame in a Group race.
"Ground is absolutely critical to him. We've made one or two silly mistakes and when we ran him in the Lockinge when it wasn't top of the ground and our biggest mistake ever was taking him to Dubai.
"Both this and the Rowley Mile he loves, he can't get enough of it. My plan in my head was to work back from the Challenge Stakes, which he would try to win for the third time.
"I know the July Cup is tempting, but how many seven-year-olds have won the July Cup? Because he has been such a marvellous horse, I don't want him beating his head against the wall.
"If at the end of this year he is fighting fit then we would keep him going."
Farhh Go back with a bang
Wells Farhh Go set up a return to Pattern-race company with victory on his long-awaited return from injury in the Randox Health Fred Archer Stakes.
Having sustained a stress fracture in the build up to last year's St Leger, the Tim Easterby-trained four-year-old shrugged off an absence of 311 days as he demonstrated his ability remains intact with a decisive success in the Listed event.
With his three rivals treading water a long way from home in the mile-and-a-half prize, the 5/4 favourite, who claimed the Bahrain Trophy at this track last year, galloped on resolutely to defeat Walton Street by four lengths.
Alan Heley, joint-owner, said: "He has been off a long time and we just wanted to see him back on a racecourse to make sure we have a nice horse going forward.
"He has not had a hard race and we are pleased with it. The other two (Walton Street and Barsanti) were a bit of a fear in the market, but they were a long way off the bridle before we were under pressure.
"You could see the year before last when he won the Acomb it was softish and you can tell looking at his stride he would prefer a bit more cut in the ground. To win a Group Two or anything better everything has to be in your favour.
"Tim said the Princess of Wales's might come a bit too quick, but we put him in that because you have to be in the race to run it. It's an option and he has been at Newmarket twice and won twice. He likes the galloping straight course.
"The target is the Irish St Leger at the end of the year. We missed the English one so we will go for the other one."
Summer stars in scorching heat
Summer Romance supplemented her debut success at Yarmouth by taking the step up to Listed company in her stride in the opener at Newmarket.
Sent off a warm order (5/6 favourite) for the Randox Health Empress Fillies' Stakes on a suitably hot afternoon at the July Course, Charlie Appleby's filly could hardly have been more convincing.
Jockey James Doyle settled the grey daughter of Kingman in behind the leaders before cruising to the lead with just over a furlong to travel.
Ursulina (14/1), representing Tom Dascombe and Richard Kingscote, emerged best of her six rivals - all of which were previous winners as well - but the dashing Summer Romance was in a league of her own, easing down close home to score by a yawning six lengths.
Appleby said: "This is a filly that has plenty of scope about her and a wonderful pedigree, related to Rizeena, and stepping up in trip is only going to be her forte in time. I was pleased with the way she travelled through the race.
"I don't want to sound too confident, but it was a straightforward mission for her in the end. She would have learnt a little bit on her first run, but she would have learnt more the week before when I worked her with the Royal Ascot fillies.
"I've spoken to His Highness (Sheikh Mohammed) and I would like to give her a little more time and just wait for the seven-furlong races.
"It (Sweet Solera Stakes, back at Newmarket) is an option for her for sure. Stepping up to seven furlongs is the next logical step."
Sky Bet make the summer their 10/1 antepost favourite for the 1000 Guineas next spring.
Boys in blue at the double
Connections of Summer Romance doubled up as Al Dabaran (9/4 joint-favourite) made a winning debut in the Coates & Seely Blancs Novice Stakes.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by James Doyle for the Godolphin team, the Dubawi colt overhauled front-runner Gold Souk with a furlong and a half to travel before being kept up to his work to win by two and a half lengths from joint-favourite Ursa Minor, also in the Godolphin ownership but trained by John Gosden.