THERE are relatively few trainers who can match Henry Candy’s patient approach and the Wantage handler has always had complete faith in Limato.

Without a win this season and not short of detractors, the 6/4 favourite thrashed the opposition in the Group 2 Godolphin Stud And Stable Staff Awards Challenge Stakes, coming home three and half lengths ahead of Massaat, with remarkable old warrior Gordon Lord Byron third at 66/1.

There was something amiss with Dutch Connection, who missed a beat out of the stalls and was pulled-up, and it was a little surprising on previous evidence that a small group raced down the centre because the stands’ side was clearly favoured with Massaat prominent.

He led on sufferance until Harry Bentley asked Limato to quicken past, at which point the race was effectively over. The result was a personal triumph for the jockey, who briefly lost the ride but was reinstated. Quite understandably, he punched the air in delight.

“He felt brilliant, travelled into the race in style and all I had to do was push the button,” Bentley said. “This seven furlongs on decent ground is perfect but a mile is still there for him and Mr Candy thinks it’s within range. Maybe it’s something for the future but I love this horse and he’s had a huge influence on my career.”

Candy has had to wait for better ground, though it might be argued that the horse was a little disappointing in some very classy races.

“He had a miserable time in Dubai and it took him a while to get over it,” owner Paul Jacobs admitted. “I decided to change everything, wrongly perhaps, and Harry took it like a gentleman. I had a rethink, rang him up and he agreed to ride him again. I couldn’t be happier. As for the future, the Sprint on Champions Day is a remote possibility but only if the ground continues to dry right out.”

COMPENSATION

The afternoon began with a game success for Declan Carroll’s Abel Handy, who led some way from home in the Group 3 Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Cornwallis Stakes and held old rival Sound And Silence by a neck. Mokaatil kept on best of the rest.

This was consolation for the Yorkshire-based Irishman, who lost star juvenile Santry on the gallops recently. Abel Handy was reversing Roses Stakes form at York, where he was beaten half a length by Sound And Silence. He met the Godolphin horse, successful since then at Group 3 level at Maisons-Laffitte and 5/2 favourite here, on the same terms and started at 9/2 but was always just holding him on the climb to the line.

Interestingly, James Doyle, who rode Sound and Silence on the Knavesmire, was on Abel Handy this time with William Buick, fit again, reunited with Sound And Silence.

“Santry was a star with great potential and we miss him,” Carroll said. “But Abel Handy has done nothing but improve with every run and will be even better next year.”

Aidan O’Brien’s Battle Of Jericho saw no daylight at all and the run is probably best ignored.

ALTYN ORDA PREVAILS

There were only two maiden fillies lining up for the Group 3 Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes over seven furlongs and it nearly became one when Roger Varian’s 25/1 shot Altyn Orda shied at a camera, dropped Andrea Atzeni and bolted before the start. However, he was soon reunited with the jockey and came with a sustained run up the stands’ side to account for Gavota and O’Brien’s I Can Fly.

There was a lot of money for the latter, winner of a Dundalk maiden, and she ended up 2/1 favourite. When she moved through on the far side for Ryan Moore and headed stable-companion Butterscotch, it looked as if the gamble might be landed. However, Gavota challenged and went on in the centre, only for Altyn Orda, a Kyllachy filly, to sprout wings and surge home by a neck.

“I don’t really know what happened but she shied and I fell off,” said Atzeni modestly. “She was staying on when we hit the rising ground and I knew we were catching them but I didn’t know if we’d get there. It’s a surprise but she’s a good filly and will improve again.”

FITTING REWARD

Godolphin contest many more middle- and long-distance handicaps these days and First Nation ran out a comfortable winner of the bet365 Old Rowley Cup over a mile and a half.

Noel Garbutt on Medalla de Oro set up a good lead towards the far side but the principal challengers emerged, predictably enough, on the opposite wing. Eynhallow moved up threateningly with Duke Of Bronte but William Buick, deputising for James Doyle, was merely hand-riding First Nation and soon went on to account for Eynhallow by three-parts of a length.

“He’s done it well and had the form,” Buick said. “He was third in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot and Charlie Appleby always said he was a mile and a half horse.”

Those waiting patiently for Ryan Moore to make his mark were rewarded when 3/1 chance Veracious proved too good for Winter Lightning and Final Treat in the seven-furlong maiden for juvenile fillies.

Experience counted as the winner, a daughter of Frankel, benefited from a promising debut third at Newbury. Moore was teaming up with former boss Sir Michael Stoute.

The final race, the Listed Club Godolphin Pride Stakes, went to Chain Of Daisies, completing a double for Limato’s jockey Harry Bentley and trainer Henry Candy.

Zabeel Prince hacks up

IT was a good day for Newmarket trainer Roger Varian. Moments after Altyn Orda scored at Newmarket, stable-companion Zabeel Prince laughed at a 10lb higher mark for his Yarmouth win and positively hacked up in the seemingly intricate Unibet Handicap at York. He was virtually backed off the boards at 15/8 in a big field with champion elect Silvester de Sousa in the saddle.

Ralph Beckett’s 16/1 chance Brimham Rocks was rather harder to find in the same sponsor’s long-distance handicap later on.