Dramatic defeat often lasts longer in the memory than victory.
Far more people recall that it was Devon Loch that suffered dramatic defeat in the Grand National than remember that it was E.S.B that took advantage of his misfortune and Lady Aurelia is as famous for her dramatic defeat in the 2017 Nunthorpe as she was for her wide-margin victory in the King’s Stand Stakes earlier that year, Frankie Dettori famously suffering from ‘premature jock-elation’ as he celebrated victory despite the photo-finish confirming he was edged out by Luke Morris on the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Marsha.
Lady Aurelia’s trainer Wesley Ward had previously seen his precocious 2-y-o Acapulco also finish second in the Nunthorpe so there was a case of unfinished business about sending Bacio to bid for compensation and that’s exactly what he did. Bacio had been ante-post favourite for the Nunthorpe ever since his victory at Royal Ascot and gave supporters few anxious moments, showing bright speed out of the stalls and never seeing another rival.
Rated 121p going into the race, a provisional updated rating of 124p is backed up by a very smart timefigure and makes him the leading sprinter seen in Europe this season and likely to prove tough to beat if coming back here for the Abbaye or if, as seems more likely, the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on home soil at Keeneland.
As good as Bacio looked here, he remains some way below the leading global performer Ka Ying Rising on 137.
Former Group 1 winner Starlust bounced back to form to finish second, to go with his third in the race as a 3-y-o back in 2024, returning from an unsuccessful spell at stud since, something he has in common with Kingsgate Native who remains the last 2-y-o to win the Nunthorpe and he had a long and distinguished career as an older horse having proven infertile at stud.
Starspangledbanner won a Golden Jubilee and July Cup before finishing second in the Nunthorpe in 2010 but returned to the track in 2012 having proven sub-fertile. He went back to stud in 2014 and has had a much more fruitful second spell, with current 3-y-os Gstaad, A Boy Named Susie and Precise among his highest rated progeny and proving there is still time for a second chance for Starlust, who remains a full horse.
Dods' Gold a prized purchase
That isn't the case for Arapaho Gold who was gelded prior to his debut and his victory in the Gimcrack could reignite the debate around geldings in Group 1 races. Back in June, France Galop announced its intention to open the Arc to geldings from 2027 onwards to a mixed reception. Geldings are permitted in the majority of British Group 1s, with the exception of the juvenile Group 1s, classics and the Commonwealth Cup and that makes Michael Dods’ job a little tricky in terms of where to go with his unbeaten 2-y-o.
Connections suggest the Mill Reef might be next for him, and though it doesn't hold Group status, the very valuable 2-y-o event at Ascot on Champions Day could also be on his agenda. That race was taken last year by the already gelded Mission Central who went on to win the King Charles III at the Royal meeting this year and that race or perhaps the Wokingham – won in recent years by another gelded 3-y-o in Rohaan with the Commonwealth Cup shut off for them – could be on his agenda.
Whatever route connections take, they have plenty of time to decide and what is clear is that they have a bargain on their hands having cost just €42,000 as a yearling for connections who are not strangers to a good sprinter, the recently retired Dakota Gold a 6-time winner at York in the same silks and his half-brother, the two-time Stewards’ Cup winner Commanche Falls.
Finally, on to the ground.
Timeform’s time-based assessment suggested conditions on Thursday were ‘soft’, and though Friday’s weren’t as testing as that, they were still on the slow side. The winning time for the Nunthorpe was 59.42, which is the slowest in the race since Reverence failed to break the one-minute barrier in 2006 and that, along with the rest of the card, suggests Friday was ‘good to soft’.
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