Limato only 50-50 to line up in Lennox Stakes

Limato is rated a 50-50 chance by trainer Henry Candy to take his place in the Group 2 Qatar Lennox Stakes on the opening afternoon of Glorious Goodwood on Tuesday.

Bookmakers cut the price of the dual Group 1 hero after the 20 entries were revealed, with William Hill halving his odds to 5-2 favourite (from 5-1).

Qatar Lennox Stakes betting and card

However, Limato retains the option of the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville on Sunday week, and would need the ground to dry up for Candy to commit him to Goodwood.

“It’s no secret his owner, Mr Jacobs, would love to run in the Lennox,” Candy said. “But with the weather as it is at the moment I’d say it’s 50-50.

“The horse is so ground-dependent it is impossible to be definite about his next target at this stage.”

If Limato did take his place on the Sussex Downs he would clash with Dutch Connection and Home Of The Brave, who fought out a thrilling finish to the race last year.

Dutch Connection got the better of Home Of The Brave by a length and three-quarters, and the five-year-old’s trainer Charlie Hills has long mapped out this race as a principal target once again.

“It was a good race between the two last year,” Hills recalled. “I’d like the ground to dry up for Dutch Connection. He likes fast ground and has a good record at Goodwood.

“They went no gallop in Ireland for his last race and he got stuck on the outside which wasn’t ideal. He’s in good form.”

Hugo Palmer, trainer of Home Of The Brave, believes his five-year-old is better now than at any other stage in his career.

“I thought he put up a career-best performance last time out at Newmarket, and I think at the age of five it’s possible he's getting better,” he said.

“He's been in fantastic form since. There's never a hiding place in a Lennox, but he's versatile in terms of ground and we’re really looking forward to the race.”

The Hills-trained Nebo, head runner-up to Gustav Klimt in Newmarket’s Superlative Stakes earlier this month, is among 20 entries for the Group 2 Qatar Vintage Stakes.

Nebo has thrived since that last-gasp defeat at the hands of the 2,000 Guineas favourite, and Hills said: “He's brilliantly well and did a bit of work this morning. He'll definitely run at Goodwood next week but we’ll give him another entry in the Richmond and make a decision about which race to go for nearer the time.”

Big Orange, who seems sure to start a short-priced favourite, heads 18 entries for the Group 1 Qatar Goodwood Cup, a race he won 12 months ago by a length and a quarter from Pallasator, with Sheikhzayedroad a head back in third.

Sheikhzayedroad, who again finished behind Big Orange in the Gold Cup at Ascot last month, is firmly on course for another battle with his old rival.

Trainer David Simcock said: “He’ll run. He’s in good order. The ground was too quick for him at Ascot and any further rain would be appreciated.

“He ran very well to finish third in the race last year and showed that he handles the track.”

Seamus Buckley, clerk of the course at Goodwood, said: “We're exactly where we want to be at this stage after 50mm of rain last weekend, with the going good all over. The weekend is expected to be drier and brighter.”

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