Redcar and York sprint hero ‘brilliant’ Limato is retired

VETERAN trainer Henry Candy paid tribute to Limato after confirming the retirement of his stable stalwart.

It is six years since the Tagula gelding rounded off an unbeaten juvenile campaign with victory in the Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar, a performance his trainer hails as “absolutely extraordinary”.

The following season yielded Group Three triumphs before he bagged his two Group One wins in 2016 with victories in the July Cup at Newmarket and the Prix de la Foret at Chantilly.

The horse was also instrumental to the rise of jockey Harry Bentley, now one of the country’s best riders. Their many trimuphs included the Listed Garrowby Stakes at York in September 2018.

There have been ups and downs during the subsequent four years, but Limato proved he was no back number in the summer when successfully defending his crown in Newmarket’s Criterion Stakes.

“He’s been a big part of the yard for a long time,” said Candy. “I suppose his July Cup victory was probably the outstanding performance, but I thought his run in the Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar as a juvenile was absolutely extraordinary.”

Having finished fifth in last month’s Park Stakes at Doncaster, Candy had hoped to see his eight-year-old bow out by bidding for a third win in the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket today, but he was ruled out due to a bruised foot.

Time has now been called on a glittering career during which Limato won 14 of his 33 starts and earned over £1.4m in prize-money.

Candy, who has also trained top-class sprinters like Kyllachy, Airwave and Twilight Son, added: “Limato would have to be way up there – when everything was in his favour with the ground and everything, he was brilliant.

“He had a pretty amazing strike-rate and a fantastic turn of foot.”

The horse ran in the colours of owner Paul Jacobs who named Limato after his wife Linda, mother Marjorie, and father Tom. Limato will join Katie Jerram’s acclaimed showing stable in Essex that has previously retrained top chasers Cue Card and Barbers Shop.

“He has been an incredible horse,” reflected Jacobs. “He has been a horse of not just one lifetime but quite a few lifetimes.”

Logician has just the three rivals as he bids to extend his 100 per cent to seven in the rescheduled Betsafe Cumberland Lodge Stakes at York today.

Last year’s St Leger hero made a belated return to action back at Doncaster last month with a facile success over Mythical Magic.

It may have been little more than a piece of work, but John Gosden’s charge did show he was back in business after a life-threatening illness last winter.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today.

Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers.

So, please - if you can - pay for our work. Just £5 per month is the starting point. If you think that which we are trying to achieve is worth more, you can pay us what you think we are worth. By doing so, you will be investing in something that is becoming increasingly rare. Independent journalism that cares less about right and left and more about right and wrong. Journalism you can trust.

Thank you, James Mitchinson. Editor.