Wathnan eye Group success with Royal Ascot winner in 'very hot' Solario - plus an update on James Doyle

Wathnan Racing hit a blank during last week's Ebor festival but the powerful operation are hopeful Royal Ascot winner Humidity can return to his best in a "very hot" Group 3 BetMGM Solario Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

Trained by Andrew Balding, who fired in four winners at York including Group 1 success with Never So Brave, the son of Ulysses is one of 11 entered in the feature race at the Esher track. He will bid to return to winning ways after losing his unbeaten record when seventh in the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Publish, who won over course and distance last month, is the 6-4 favourite with Coral, while the unbeaten Zanthos, Pacific Avenue and He's Waliim add plenty of spice to the contest.

Wathnan's racing adviser Richard Brown said: "There looks to be a lot of unexposed, first-time-out winners. The Juddmonte horse [Publish] looked very impressive and I know James [Doyle] liked him when he rode him. It's always a very hot race, so I'm sure whoever wins will have the chance to go somewhere near the top."

Andrew Balding: trainer of Humidity enjoyed a fruitful Ebor festivalCredit: Edward Whitaker

Humidity finished three and a half lengths behind Zavateri at Goodwood, but brings solid form into the weekend having won the Chesham Stakes at the royal meeting in June.

Brown said: "He's going very well at home and Andrew has been happy with him and said he's worked particularly well since Goodwood. He probably didn't really handle the track that day. He's a big striding horse and we have to use that. It's going to be his key weapon, so hopefully at Sandown he can get rolling a bit easier than he could at Goodwood."

Despite their failure to win at York with ten runners, Brown believes there is still plenty of success to be secured for Wathnan between now and the end of the season.

He said: "People say you're having a great year, but when you're on the inside you always pick out the things that go wrong. It has been a great season, though. Ascot was great and we had a nice couple of winners at Deauville.

"We've also got Lazzat to get back on track at Haydock and we have Fallen Angel in the Matron Stakes. We have lots to look forward to and hopefully some nice two-year-olds to come out."

Doyle was stood down from his rides at York on Friday and Saturday due to illness, and Brown provided an update on their retained rider.

Brown said: "He's much improved. We won't rush him back. He's got more tests tomorrow, so we'll know more after, but he was hit with hard antibiotics. Hopefully we can get him back because we need him as soon as we can."

BetMGM Solario Stakes, 3.35 Sandown, Saturday
Coral: 6-4 Publish, 3 Zanthos, 7-2 Pacific Avenue, Wild Desert, 10 He's Waliim, Humidity, 20 A Bit Of Spirit, 25 bar.

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