Goodwood punters warned to hold their bets on favourite Almeraq

Punters have been warned to hold their bets on potential handicap blot Almeraq for the Coral Stewards' Cup.

William Hill slashed the sprinter's price to 3-1 (from 16-1) yesterday when he bolted up by five lengths on his Ayr handicap debut.

Group One-entered Almeraq would carry a 6lb penalty if connections chose to turn him out quickly at the Qatar Goodwood Festival on August 2.

But their immediate reaction to the impressive performance over six furlongs was to look at other races further down the line.

"I would be surprised if we rushed him back to such a competitive handicap straight away," said Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold after the Fergie and Myra Happel Ayr Gold Cup Trial.

"It has taken all this time to get him right. He had a couple of issues in the spring and thrived for his first run of the season at Yarmouth.

"It was great to see him come back to what we thought he might be at the start of the year. We see him as a nice horse for the autumn."

Almeraq is trained by Newmarket-based William Haggas, who removed Merchant from the Group One King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at yesterday's confirmation stage.

Coronation Cup one-two Jan Brueghel and Calandagan remain on-course for a rematch in Saturday's big race at Ascot.

Others in the running include 2024 Qipco British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes heroine Kalpana and last year's third Rebel's Romance.

"Those four are rated a lot higher than Merchant," said Haggas, his stayer reassessed to a mark of 103 following a stylish King George V Stakes triumph over track and trip.

"We would love to support the race but we thought it was a step too far at this stage. He'll go for the Group Three Gordon Stakes at Goodwood."