Strong competition in place at Ascot for Karl Burke's Quiet Reflection

Henry Candy’s Limato had the Karl Burke-trained Quiet Reflection back in third when claiming a hugely impressive victory in the July Cup at Newmarket and has since doubled his top-level tally in the Prix de la Foret at Chantilly just under a fortnight ago.

However, Candy insisted he would only run his charge if conditions were deemed suitable and with the ground on the soft side of good, he has not been declared.

“It’s just the ground. He’ll go to the Breeders’ Cup now,” said the trainer.

Candy still has a major contender for the six-furlong contest in Twilight Son, who was winner of the Diamond Jubilee at Ascot and runner-up in this race last year.

Quiet Reflection claimed the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot prior to his Newmarket reverse and looked better than ever in last month’s Sprint Cup at Haydock under Dougie Costello.

Shalaa is a fascinating contender for John Gosden, while dual Nunthorpe heroine Mecca’s Angel is set for her swansong before retirement.

Meanwhile, Malton’s Richard Fahey is bullish about the prospects of Ribchester in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over a mile – William Buick is booked for the ride.

Just Cameron will start his season off in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham next month.

Trained by Micky Hammond in Middleham, the nine-year-old finished second behind Un De Sceaux at the 2015 Punchestown Festival in his novice season, being beaten just three lengths before the horse was a far from disgraced sixth in this year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase.

“He’s going to go down for the Shloer at Cheltenham,” said Hammond. “His first realistic target will be the Castleford at Wetherby over Christmas. He’s on the same sort of mark as last year so he’s going to be hard to place, but he did finish second in a valuable race at Doncaster to a very well handicapped horse (Dandridge) who nearly won the Grand Annual. We were a bit unlucky that Arthur Moore brought him over, really, when you see what he went on to do.”

Jonjo O’Neill claimed his 2,000th British jumps winner as Centuro secured a dramatic victory at Uttoxeter. Winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup as a trainer and jockey, the landmark win was slightly fortuitous – the pacesetting Red Hot Chilly unseated jockey Robbie Dunne just a few strides before the line.