Coolmore Wootton Bassett

Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1))

THIRD in 2023, the Archie Watson-trained Bradsell (Hollie Doyle) ran out a well-backed 3/1 winner of the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday.

Drawn next to the trailblazing Ponntos in stall two, the son of Tasleet was well berthed and always well-positioned in the race itself.

He asserted from halfway while still on the bridle, while Believing (George Boughey/Ryan Moore) and Starlust (Ralph Beckett/Rossa Ryan) chased hard, and the four-year-old had three-quarters of a length and a head in hand at the winning post.

Sidelined by injury in the spring, Bradsell only made his seasonal return earlier in the month when taking a listed sprint at Deauville, and Watson deserves all credit for producing him at concert pitch for this most prestigious contest.

Believing struggled to go the early pace from a high draw but ran on best of all to grab second close home, and she deserves a big pot of her own on this showing.

“We were getting him ready for Dubai in the spring and he fractured a fetlock in February, and it’s been an amazing route back for him,” said Watson. “I’m not one for sectionals, but I was told he did the fastest closing final two furlongs in the race last year. This year thankfully we were drawn with the Czech horse who goes off quick.

“When Regional and Live In The Dream came out, I couldn’t decide if I wanted them in as pace angles or out as very good horses. Luckily Ponntos was always going to go what he did, but Hollie was even taking Bradsell back off him he was going so well today.

“I thought when the injury happened it would be a question of saving him for a stallion job next year, but at every stage he passed with flying colours. I know the vets like to stay behind the scenes, but they really have done a phenomenal job with this horse.”

THE 11/2 chance Vauban (Willie Mullins/William Buick), a non-stayer in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, appreciated the relative test of speed at two miles in the Group 2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup, going clear of his main rivals with over a furlong to run and then holding the late thrust of outsider Al Nayyir (Tom Clover/Luke Morris) to win by a short-head.

Goodwood Cup third Gregory (John and Thady Gosden/James Doyle) set just a fair pace and although plugging away for a three-length third, ahead of disappointing favourite Point Lonsdale, he couldn’t match the tactical speed of Vauban who would likely have won a little more comfortably had he been asked for maximum effort slightly later.

Winning owner Rich Ricci said: “The ticket for Australia is not quite booked, but it has been our intention all season and we said we’d work back from the Melbourne Cup. I don’t know what Willie wants to do next - he’s got an entry in the Irish St Leger, but Melbourne still remains the plan - we’ll see what the handicapper does.

“He was very good today, he was ready to rock, he looked a picture and showed a great turn of foot. William thought he probably got there a little too soon, but he also said he was idling a bit in front. I wanted to see him run through the line today because I’ve had my niggles about the trip, and he got it – just! That’s brilliant.

“Willie called me before the race and that does not happen very often unless there is something wrong. He said we had no excuse today and thought he’d go very close.”

THE Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes saw the market leaders disappoint but still produced an impressive winner in the shape of Cool Hoof Luke (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy), who became the first Gimcrack winner trained at historic Kingsclere since the great Mill Reef in 1970.

He beat Shadow Of Light (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) and Symbol Of Strength (Adrian Keatley/Connor Beasley) by three-quarters of a length and a head.

An 8/1 shot, having finished third over a furlong further in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood, Cool Hoof Luke was quite free at Goodwood and Murphy did a good job in getting him to drop in and get cover, enabling him to settle better as a result.

He travelled kindly, was waited with, and found plenty as others ran out of gas in the final furlong to win going away. Molecomb winner Big Mojo looked the main danger with a furlong left, but failed to see out the extra furlong, while both Camille Pissarro and The Strikin Viking ran well below their best, the latter leading for three furlongs but stopping alarmingly thereafter.

Anna-Lisa Balding, wife of the winning trainer, said: “He’s a big horse, a big two-year-old. It doesn’t always happen, but it happened and it’s just fantastic.

“You look at him and you think he’s going to be a better three-year-old, we weren’t sure about the trip, it was going to be a question mark today – he’s bred to be a sprinter, looks like a seven-furlong horse – and again, the trainer got it right.

“I think we were a bit disappointed at Goodwood, but he came back and won the right one today. Andrew will be making the decisions, but it is exciting.”

The seven-furlong British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes is often won by a good horse and it went to the Ralph Beckett-trained Angelo Buonarroti, partnered by David Egan for Amo Racing.

The son of Justify, who cost €1 million at the Arqana May Breeze-Up, had made his debut when down the field in the Coventry.