Publish ruled out of Solario test at Sandown

Publish will not line up in Saturday’s BetMGM Solario Stakes at Sandown due to unsuitable ground.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt was due to be one of the headline acts in the Group Three contest after running an eyecatching race on debut at the Esher track, before returning to the same venue three weeks later to break his maiden.

However, with 16 millimetres of rain having fallen at Sandown on Friday morning, the going was changed to soft after the fifth race on the track’s afternoon card, prompting connections to withdraw the likely favourite.

His absence leaves Charlie Appleby’s Pacific Avenue as the new market leader after he inflicted a surprise defeat on stablemate Wild Desert when making a winning debut at Newmarket in June.

Appleby, who has trained three previous Solario winners, said: “This is a race we have done well in in recent seasons, Pacific Avenue worked nicely on Saturday and the form of his last run has worked out very well.

“The second horse (Wild Desert) came out and was third in the Superlative Stakes and the third, fourth and fifth have come out and won well, so we are going there with a horse that will hopefully be competitive.

“He hasn’t been out since winning his debut in June, but he is in good shape at home and we do feel that the seven furlongs at Sandown will suit him well.

“He is a horse we have always liked and if he could go and hopefully win on Saturday, we could look towards something like a Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere possibly, but that is pie in the sky stuff at the moment and the focus for now is on the Solario.”

Too Darn Hot colt He’s Waliim is an interesting contender for James Tate, turning out 17 days after blitzing his rivals by upwards of six lengths on his introduction at Beverley.

Tate said: “Obviously he was very impressive and he’s a horse we’re excited about, but we’re aware that we are throwing him in at the deep end somewhat, so fingers crossed he can swim.

“His home work had been very smart before Beverley so we were expecting him to win, but they don’t always run up to their homework, so it was nice that he did.

“It’s a field full of unknowns on Saturday and you don’t quite know whether you’re taking on next year’s Guineas winner or a horse that wins the Solario and doesn’t win another Group race, it can vary.

“But we’re happy with our horse, seven furlongs around a bend with a uphill finish and quick-ish ground should suit us down to the ground, so we’ll find out a lot.”

Other hopefuls include Andrew Balding’s Chesham winner Humidity, who bids to bounce back from a disappointing effort in Goodwood’s Vintage Stakes, and Clive Cox’s A Bit Of Spirit, who has won twice and finished second twice in four starts.

Richard Brown, adviser to Humidity’s owners Wathnan Racing, said: “Andrew seems very happy with him and he said he has worked particularly well since Goodwood.

“I don’t think the track suited him particularly well at Goodwood and I’m hoping Sandown and the stiff seven will be more to his liking as I think he will get further in time.

“This is obviously a very strong renewal, as you would expect, but I think the race will set up much better for him than at Goodwood and he will be hitting the line strong.”

Of A Bit Of Spirit, Cox said: “He’s in very good form. He stepped up to a mile last time at Salisbury in the Stonehenge and was beaten by a very nice horse (Morris Dancer).

“We’ll be very happy to step back to seven furlongs at Sandown, he’s in great nick and we’re really looking forward to it.”