HENRY Candy hailed Limato as the most exciting sprinter he’s trained after the gelding’s breathtaking victory in the Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

The Wantage handler, who has tasted success at the highest level with the likes of flying machines Kyllachy, Airwave and Markab during his 42-year career, was fulsome in his praise of his latest speed merchant.

Sent off the 9-2 favourite for the six-furlong contest, Limato showed an electrifying turn of foot under Harry Bentley to storm home by two lengths and claim the £302,689 first prize.

It was just Candy’s fifth winner of the season – but remarkably that tally now includes two Group 1 prizes after his other star Twilight Son, who was unplaced on this occasion, ended his 37-year wait for a Royal Ascot triumph last month by capturing the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

Reflecting on Limato’s sparkling win, the Kingston Warren trainer said: “The only horse I can remember watching as exciting as that is one my father (Derek) used to train called Song, who won the King’s Stand (in 1969).

“He’d have to be the most exciting sprinter I’ve trained.”

In the immediate aftermath of his win, Candy mooted the possibility of stepping Limato back up to a mile in the Qatar Sussex Stakes this month. But he added that he is now likely to bypass Goodwood in favour of the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville next month as he took plenty out of himself on Saturday.

“Limato, as is his wont, was still very excitable when he returned to the yard,” said Candy.

“He was throwing his head around and slightly banged the top of his head and also had a scrape near his eye. I think the Sussex will come too soon now.”

Elsewhere, Blewbury trainer Eve Johnson Houghton reeled off four winners in three days with Frank Bridge scoring at Brighton, Coarse Cut and Reaver providing an across-the-card double with victories at Yarmouth and Kempton respectively, while Golden Wedding triumphed at Newbury.

Paul Cole’s Whatcombe stables enjoyed a successful week courtesy of Baron Bolt at Catterick, Upstaging at Epsom and Lyfka at Chepstow.

There was also the thrill of an Ascot winner for Kingston Lisle trainer Heather Main when Bluegrass Blues sprang a 33-1 shock in an