WANTAGE trainer Henry Candy felt that Limato had gone over the top for the season after his stable star failed to fire in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.

Sent off the 17-5 favourite, the four-year-old finished sixth, beaten three and a half lengths, under Harry Bentley as Tourist denied Tepin back-to-back wins in the Grade 1 contest in Calfornia.

Candy said: “He was a little bit free early on, everything went right except for that and it is nothing to do with the (mile) trip, as he wasn’t going to win from two (furlongs) out.

“It is too late in the year, really. I’ve enjoyed the experience of coming here immensely and there are plenty of good days ahead to look forward to.”

Sparsholt trainer Harry Whittington plans to step Emerging Force up in class after the six-year-old made it two from two over fences with a hard-fought victory at Exeter.

Following the six-year-old’s two-length triumph over Southfield Vic in a three-miles novices’ chase under Gavin Sheehan, Whittington said: “He’ll go to Newbury’s Hennessy meeting for the Grade 2 three-mile chase that Native River won last year.”

The Sparsholt handler and Sheehan combined again to strike with French import Charlemar, who made a winning debut in this country when holding off Orchard Park by three-quarters of a length in a two-mile maiden hurdle at Chepstow.

East Ilsley trainer Hughie Morrison hopes there might be a nice prize further down the line for Major Mac after he made the most of a drop in class with a facile success at Newbury.

Facing just the two rivals, the 1-2 favourite – making his first start over hurdles since pulling up in a Grade 1 event at Chepstow in January – coasted home by 21 lengths in a novices’ hurdle over an extended two and a half milesunder Tom O’Brien.

Morrison said: “I think that is as far as you would want to go with him and I would be inclined to bring him back in trip. I’d like to think he is up to winning a decent handicap.”

Back on the Flat, Upstaging completed a hat-trick of wins for Paul Cole’s Whatcombe stables with a neck success over Seeking Magic in a five-furlong handicap at Wolverhampton under Adam Kirby.

And Rake’s Progress got off the mark for Kingston Lisle trainer Heather Main when making all the running in the hands of Jack Mitchell to land a mile nursery at Kempton.