Mouthwatering July Cup prospect
Limato missed his outings at Ascot due to the softer ground whereas Twilight Son relished conditions in the Diamond Jubilee
TWILIGHT SON and Limato could both contest next month's Darley July Cup at Newmarket.
Henry Candy's stable stars are set for a clash at Newmarket after Twilight Son proved he is Group One level when winning the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.
But Candy reveals he wasn't always set to run.
He said: "The horse had had a few hiccups in the last week. He suffers from cracked heels very easily, that's why he missed out on one of those big handicaps at York last year.
"He's been suffering a little bit this week and my head lad has done a fantastic job getting him there, but it didn't give me a whole lot of confidence.
"I was slightly in two minds in the 48 hours before the race about whether to pull him out or not, but then I had him out on Saturday morning and he said he was in fantastic form and ready for anything so I felt a lot better about it.
"He's a horse with a huge amount of ability and Ryan (Moore) was of the opinion he would improve again for that run yesterday and I think that's right. I've had a job to get him really tightened up and ready for this run.
"I think that will have done him a huge amount of good yesterday.
"He doesn't want firm ground and we will go for the July Cup all being well."
The July Cup could also feature Limato, who bypassed possible engagements in Tuesday's Queen Anne Stakes over a mile and the Diamond Jubilee due to the soft conditions at Ascot.
The July Cup or the Summer Mile at Ascot, which is also on July 9, remain in the mix for the four-year-old who finished second in last year's Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs but also acquitted himself well over a mile in the Lockinge Stakes on his return this season.
Candy said: "It's a horrible idea but he (Limato) might have to run in the same race. We might possibly try a mile at Ascot which I think is on the same day.
"I think he can probably do either or, but we will discuss it with (owner) Mr Jacobs in the meantime and the ground will dictate. We will see what the weather does.
"I think he got the mile in the Lockinge. None of our horses were finishing their races at that stage, the ground was plenty soft enough for him at Newbury that day and he still ran a tremendous race and finished fourth, so I think he gets a mile.
"When he's fresh and well and jumps out of the stalls well, he's a very good sprinter. Towards the end of last year he was getting very slow out of the stalls but at Newbury he jumped out like a rocket. He's a bit of an enigma but he's very, very good."