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Guest not certain for Newbury

Richard Fahey rates Heaven's Guest a 50-50 chance to step up to Group Two company in the Betfred Hungerford Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

Heaven's Guest running in the Buckingham Palace Stakes (Handicap)
Heaven's Guest running in the Buckingham Palace Stakes (Handicap) Picture: Racing and Sports

The North Yorkshire trainer is interested to see which of the 24 confirmations is likely to turn up at the Berkshire track as well as keeping an eye on the weather.

Should Fahey believe the race is too hot for the five-year-old, whose latest success came in the valuable Gigaset International Heritage Handicap at Ascot last month, then Heaven's Guest could wait for the Sky Bet City of York Stakes on the Knavesmire next Friday.

"I'd like to have a look and see what's going to turn up," Fahey told At The Races.

"He's rated 108 now. He's between a rock and a hard place. He's a Listed winner.

"There's a seven-furlong Listed race at York, worth £100 grand, next week. I could keep him for that if it looked too tough down there.

"We'll have to see what the weather does and see what the opposition's like. He's 50-50 to run at the moment."

Andrew Balding has warned Here Comes When will only get the nod if there is a lot of rain to ease the ground considerably.

"He needs plenty of rain. Otherwise he'll wait for the Celebration Mile (at Goodwood)," said the Kingsclere trainer.

Henry Candy will not be running Limato should the forecast rain arrive.

The Wantage handler will make a decision in the morning over the participation of three-year-old, who was runner-up to Muhaarar in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Should Limato not fulfill his weekend engagement, it would be the second race in succession he has had to sidestep on account of soft ground following his late withdrawal from the Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Candy told Racing UK: "He is absolutely fine. I shall decide in the morning whether to declare him for the Hungerford at Newbury on Saturday. That's the plan.

"Having looked at the weather forecast on television this morning, I would say there is absolutely no chance of him running unless the weather forecasters have got it dramatically wrong."


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