What are the big stories ahead of 2025 Nunthorpe Stakes?

I didn’t really enjoy last year’s Nunthorpe Stakes.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s no grudge against Bradsell, Hollie Doyle or connections of the 2024 York winner, but a race that has provided so many jaw-dropping moments, shock winners and excruciatingly tight finishes was, let's be honest, all but over at the halfway point.

The Czech-based Ponntos – which does make him sound a bit like a move most chess grandmasters have up their sleeve – acted as the perfect pawn from stall one, leading the winner along merrily until Doyle could wait no longer in applying the coup de grâce. Bradsell, the well-backed 3/1 chance, powered home to beat 7/1 shot Believing, the three-year-old Starlust (12/1) and 6/4 favourite Asfoora, who kept on for fourth.

Those who had piled into the Aussie mare had their fingers burnt, sure, but it was all a bit too clean and clinical for my liking. There have been 21 and counting seasons of Grey’s Anatomy; there were 14 of Call The Midwife, 11 series of One Born Every Minute – you won’t need telling that list goes on. I’m not really among those programmes' viewers but people want guts and glory, tears of joy and pain, and – rightly or wrongly – it seems I’m the same when it comes to the Nunthorpe.

WATCH: Last year's Nunthorpe won by Bradsell

Over the past 20 years or so, since my own racing interest took on a working capacity for full disclosure, the Group 1 dash on the Knavesmire has rarely let us down, in fairness.

Strike out Bradsell and in recent years we’ve seen Live In The Dream at 28/1 for a slack-jawed Adam West, the remarkable rise of Highfield Princess, Winter Power another local heroine for Tim Easterby, plus the blinding brilliance of Battaash going back-to-back, including that recording-breaking, turf-scorching 55.9-second demolition in 2019.

Alright, it's definitely starting to sound like a personal grudge now but, for context, Bradsell was almost two and a half seconds slower last year.

Pre-Battaash, there was the most recent proper shocker as Alpha Delphini scored at 40/1 for Bryan Smart and Graham Lee, just five years on from Jwala defying the same huge SP for Robert Cowell and Steve Drowne. Between them came Sole Power second success in 2014, the gaps just about appearing in time for a relieved Richard Hughes. Not many horses can have won the same Group 1 race at 100/1 and 11/4 – he was some sprinter.

Likewise Robin Bastiman’s pride and joy Borderlescott, and another dual winner in Mecca’s Angel, whose victories evidently meant so much to Michael Dods, Paul Mulrennan and owner David Metcalfe.

And who could forget Marsha in 2017? Frankie thought he'd won it, index finger to his lips in a 'silence the doubters' salute on Wes Ward’s Lady Aurelia. He hadn’t, we know that now, but what a race and what an image of an almost apologetic Luke Morris on the worthy winner – one that will stick with us all even though Dettori no doubt brushed it off quite quickly.

Michael Bell's Margot Did (2011) was another hugely significant moment in the race's recent history, the three-year-old filly providing Hayley Turner with her second top-level success in a glorious summer for the rider.

And in 2007 we have the most recent two-year-old Nunthorpe winner, Kingsgate Native. Those who are familiar with his story won’t need reminding this was no ordinary two-year-old, having made his debut in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and lined up at York with maiden tag intact after again finding one too good in the Molecomb at Goodwood.

There will be no maiden winner of the Nunthorpe this time around, and nor is there a star even vaguely in the mould of Battaash, but that’s not to say this year's race cannot be another I was there event.

Lady Iman is a thriving juvenile and the white-faced daughter of Starman – a perfect two from two on the Knavesmire during his own racing days for what it’s worth – winning under the 54-year-old Joe Fanning for trainer Ger Lyons, who doesn’t yet appear all that enamoured with the project, would have to go down as the most rock-and-roll result.

Given the state of play in this division, she surely won’t be the only one chucked into the mix on Saturday and I see the Bell-trained Spicy Marg was recently added to the antepost market by a few firms along with the ‘needs to be supplemented’ caveat.

But in light of Sunday's 28/1 Maurice de Gheest winner coming hot on the heels of a 14/1 King George Qatar Stakes winner, 11/1 King Charles III winner and 66/1 July Cup winner, we really should be going further afield and take a closer look at a couple of the outsiders.

The aforementioned Margot Did went off an unconsidered 20/1 chance on the back of being poorly drawn in the Coral Charge the previous month and it’s worth considering whether a little bit of history could repeat itself with George Scott’s West Acre.

Scott was interviewed on Luck On Sunday earlier in the year and couldn’t hide the regard in which he holds West Acre, who went from a Southwell novice last October to winning Group 2 and Group 3 races out in Dubai before signing off his winter Meydan stint with a relatively low-key run in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint.

It’s not exactly gone to plan since touching down back in blighty but West Acre was only beaten five and a half lengths in the King Charles and his Sandown run last time – when housed in the very same stall (10) that inconvenienced Margot Did all those years ago – was surely too bad to be true.

At 66/1 in places, he’s got a bit of bounce-back potential as far as I’m concerned, and so has Ed Walker’s Celandine, who is without success since landing the Sky Bet Lowther at the same meeting last August

On the speed throughout that day, she showed a terrific attitude to hold on by a neck from Time For Sandals, this year’s Commonwealth Cup winner who was a close-up third behind Jm Jungle at Goodwood and is only 16/1 to return to winning ways at York on Friday week.

Celandine had a long layoff after a well-held fifth behind Lake Victoria in the Cheveley Park but has resumed with two fairly promising runs, beaten two lengths by the Hughes-trained, Nunthorpe-bound Sayidah Dariyan in the six-furlong Summer Stakes on this track, before being nosed out by course specialist Roman Dragon in a Listed race at Chester last weekend.

Current odds would look too great if given her chance, although with Walker maintaining full faith in Mgheera (generally 14/1) I'd be first to admit that Celandine could be rerouted to cooler waters in a bid to get her head back in front.

Speaking of which, such a policy worked perfectly for Washington Heights in last month’s John Smith’s City Walls Stakes (replay below) and if there’s a locally-trained, point-and-shoot Nunthorpe type staring us all in the face then it is Kevin Ryan’s five-year-old.

That recent York form has been given a couple of very timely boosts, with third home Jm Jungle landing the King George at Goodwood and runner-up Miss Attitude beating smart three-year-olds Redorange and Sonhai with something to spare at Deauville on Sunday.

He was only sixth behind Bradsell here 12 months ago, but I think we can all agree by now that last year’s race was largely forgettable...

Washington Heights looks to be arriving in better form this summer anyway and while the Ryan name is conspicuous by its absence on the honours board for this particular prize just 40 minutes down the A19, the 2025 sprint scene could be the ideal opportunity to set that record straight.

Either way, I fully expect to enjoy this year’s Nunthorpe Stakes.

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