The Tin Man is ready for Darley July Cup duel

One of the world’s premier six-furlong sprints, Royal Ascot’s Diamond Jubilee Stakes winner faces the three-year-old generation headed by Aidan O’Brien’s all-conquering Caravaggio.

With Caravaggio receiving a six-pound weight allowance to take account of his youth, the winner of the Commonwealth Cup at the Royal meeting is firm favourite for one of the most eagerly-anticipated clashes of the Flat season.

The 15 declared runners also include Tasleet and Limato, who chased home The Tin Man in the Diamond Jubilee, as well as a four-strong Yorkshire challenge – Kevin Ryan’s Brando, David O’Meara’s Intisaab and the Richard Fahey pair of Growl and Mr Lupton.

However, Queally, a jockey back in the limelight following a fallow spell after the retirement of the legendary Frankel five years ago, is a jockey used to the big occasion.

Not only was he nerveless on The Tin Man, a hold-up horse whose final run has to be timed to split-second perfection, but he then won the Northumberland Plate seven days later on Higher Power.

“I am really looking forward to the Darley July Cup,” said the jockey yesterday. “There are so many different factors at play going into the race and so many fancied horses. I think it’s going to be some spectacle.”

“It’s a fascinating renewal and will potentially go down as one of the top July Cups. Having the different generations meeting for the first time turns it into a real conundrum with everyone trying to work out how good the three-year-olds are.

“The Tin Man is a fun horse to ride. He likes to take aim at the opposition and has a devastating turn of foot. He’s very relaxed going to post and pretty straightforward, like my old pony really, and has become the ultimate professional. His attitude and overall demeanour are a testament to James and his staff.

“I was very impressed with him at Royal Ascot, where my only concern was that my main opposition was drawn away from me and I didn’t have the quickest horses around me.

“He quickened well and then edged ever so slightly left, which told me that he was doing it easier than he was letting on.”

The Tin Man, named after legendary jockey Fred Archer, is trained at Newmarket by James Fanshawe. Surprisingly, the horse will be racing on home turf for the first time.

“The Tin Man is very well in himself. He did a piece of work on Saturday and, although he has never been a flashy work horse, he seems to have been nice and bright since then,” said Queally.

“I would imagine that the ground will be riding good to firm come Saturday and, although most of his family like some cut in the ground, he’s run very well on firm.

“It’s by accident that he’s never run at Newmarket before, it’s just the way that things have turned out, but he handles the Limekilns gallop here in Newmarket and, like the July Course, that has a dip in it.”

Veteran sprinter Take Cover is among 26 entries for the John Smith’s City Wall Stakes at York on Saturday.

Trained at Bawtry by David Griffiths, the gutsy 10-year-old has already amassed in excess of £500,000 for connections.

Epsom Oaks heroine Enable remains on course to bid for a Classic double in the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday.

John Gosden’s filly was a brilliant winner on the Surrey Downs, seeing off Aidan O’Brien’s red-hot favourite Rhododendron by an emphatic five lengths.