IT'S been a mixed few days for followers of Henry Cecil. Those who secured fancy odds about Sleepytime for last Sunday's 1,000 Guineas were rewarded when the filly stormed away from her opponents.

However, a few ante-post vouchers also headed for the bin with the subsequent news that Sleepytime is not going to bid for a Classic double in next month's Oaks and that Cecil has also ruled Fascinating Rhythm and Fiji out of the same race.

Nevertheless, Cecil can quickly get back on the right side of punters when he saddles Canon Can in today's £50,000-added Tote Chester Cup.

Henry Cecil's four-year-old looks certain to start clear favourite here and it would be easy to pluck out one of several of his challengers as a value alternative.

But Canon Can made rapid strides after winning a Newmarket handicap last August. He went on to contest the Phil Bull Trophy at Pontefract and ran way ahead of his official rating in beating Kristal's Paradise by seven lengths.

He then became a leading contender for the Tote Cesarewitch Handicap but was just worried out of the lead in the closing stages, going down by two necks to Inchcailloch and En Vacances.

That was still a storming effort for an inexperienced three-year-old and he immediately picked up the winning thread again when reappearing at Newbury last month. Setting sail for home three furlongs out, Canon Can was kept up to his work to beat Top Cees by three lengths.