When Bradsell fractured a fetlock six months ago while Archie Watson was preparing him for Dubai’s spring carnival, the trainer feared his racing career was over. “I thought we’d be saving him for a stallion job next year,” Watson said here on Friday. “If you’d told me then that we’d be winning a Nunthorpe, I’d have said that the chance was about 0.5%.”
Watson’s pessimism was misplaced. Bradsell may well be a stallion this time next year, but if or when he retires to stud, he will do so with a convincing success in the Nunthorpe Stakes on his record, after a 57-second dash down the straight five furlongs here that unfolded almost exactly as Hollie Doyle, his jockey, had hoped and expected.
Bradsell was only third in last year’s Nunthorpe, when he was drawn away from the strong pace set by the winner and could not make up the lost ground in the final furlong. Twelve months later, though, they were drawn in three, towards the favoured far side and next door to the tearaway Ponntos, who duly gave Bradsell a tow to the two-pole, where Doyle kicked on to maintain a decisive lead.
This was the ninth Group One winner of Doyle’s career, but her first since taking the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp last October. She has had only four rides at the highest level in Britain this season, three of which started at 40-1 or bigger, before Friday’s success.
“I ran the track this morning and I was a bit concerned,” Doyle said, “because although there is a huge draw bias, it’s such fresh ground on this [stands’] side. I was thinking that by the middle of the day it could become quite poached, but clearly not. The ground we gained on the others in the first two furlongs was incredible, really.
“Coming here this week, I didn’t have a strong book numerically but this was the ride I was looking forward to,” Doyle added. “He’s four now, so you never know how much longer you’ve got. But that’s the problem with Flat horses, they come and go very quickly and I’m lucky to have him still.
“You need horses like this,” Doyle concluded. “No matter how many winners you’re riding, no-one cares unless you’re riding big ones.”
Watson paid tribute afterwards both to his jockey and the vets who nursed Bradsell back to Group One-winning form. “It means so much more when we have a winner together because we’ve grown together,” Watson said. “[Doyle] was just out of her claim when she came to me from Richard Hannon’s, all of our Group One winners have been together and she’s a massive part of the team.”
On Bradsell, Watson said: “It’s been an amazing route back for him. 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.
He’s won a Coventry and a King’s Stand [at Royal Ascot], now he’s a Nunthorpe winner and I hope he can keep doing more.”
Vauban, the 2022 Triumph Hurdle winner, will be heading to Australia for the Melbourne Cup once again after returning to winning form in the Lonsdale Cup.
The six-year-old was sent off favourite for Australia’s most famous race last November only to finish in mid-division, but Willie Mullins’ gelding showed a fine turn of foot to go clear over a furlong out and then hold the late charge of Al Nayyir by a head.
“The ticket is not quite booked,” Rich Ricci, Vauban’s owner, said, “but it has been our intention all season. “I wanted to see him run through the line today because I’ve had my niggles about the [two-mile] trip, and he got it – just! That’s brilliant.”
Saturday TV tipping preview
David O’Meara’s stable at Upper Helmsley, less than 10 miles from York Minster, is always among the top performers at his local track and in the handicaps in particular, but the Ebor, Europe’s richest handicap, remains a notable gap on his CV.
He will head to the Knavesmire with a big chance to finally bag the £300,000 prize on Saturday, however, as Epic Poet (3.35), fifth home in a strongly-run John Smith’s Cup at the same track last time, is an excellent bet at around 8-1 on his first start at 14 furlongs.
Goodwood
1.30 Manila Thriller 2.05 Tabiti 2.40 Royal Dress 3.15 Sweet Reward 3.50 Miller Spirit 4.25 Kitty Foyle 4.55 Rocking Ends
Newmarket
1.40 Invictus Gold 2.10 Rosy Affair 2.45 Run Boy Run 3.20 Li Ban 3.55 Twilight Calls 4.30 Assail 5.02 Spring Bloom
York
1.50 Enfjaar 2.25 Tactician 3.00 Lake Forest 3.35 Epic Poet (nap) 4.10 Commanche Falls (nb) 4.45 River Seine 5.20 Paradias
Cartmel
2.15 Cavern Club 2.50 Calevade 3.25 Secret Trix 4.00 Cuzco Du Mathan 4.35 Kicksaftersix 5.05 Iolani 5.35 The Navigator
Redcar
4.58 Star Delta 5.30 Jungle Drums 6.00 Zozimus 6.30 Marbuzet 7.00 Novello Lad 7.30 Wrath Of Hector 8.00 Mrs Trump
Windsor
5.15 Havana Pusey 5.45 Midnight Thunder 6.15 Deira Mile 6.45 My Prospero 7.15 Midnight Drive 7.45 Red Cloud
Like many of O’Meara’s handicappers, Epic Poet was picked up at the autumn sales and has progressed steadily in three runs this season. He would have finished even closer with a clear run last time, and his finishing kick could make all the difference in the closing stages on Saturday.
York 1.50 A strong renewal of the Group Three Strensall Stakes in which the John Smith’s Cup winner, Enfjaar, may bridge the gap from handicaps after a slightly unlucky run in the Chesterfield Cup at Goodwood last time out.
Goodwood 2.05 With the highly promising Formal having been scratched on Friday, the way looks clear for Ralph Beckett’s Tabiti to follow up her decisive three-and-a-quarter length win at Newmarket on debut.
York 2.25 Andrew Balding has won two of the last four runnings of the Melrose and has two live contenders again here in Wild Waves and Tactician. Marginal preference is for the latter, who has an obvious chance on his close second at Ascot in July and plenty of scope for further improvement with just five starts in the book.
Goodwood 2.40 This was the obvious target for Lead Artist after his smooth success in the Thoroughbred Stakes over course and distance at the Festival meeting. He will set off at a short price, but his only sub-par run so far came on good-to-soft ground and Royal Dress, who posted a career-best to win at the Curragh last time, looks overpriced at around 6-1.
York 3.00 Lake Forest, last season’s Gimcrack winner, has put in his best work at the finish in both the Commonwealth Cup and the Hackwood at Newbury last time and looks more than ready for this step up to seven furlongs.
York 4.10 Low numbers have had the edge on the straight course here this week and Commanche Falls is an interesting option from stall one. The dual Stewards’ Cup winner has not contested a handicap since finishing second in the Ayr Gold Cup in 2022 off 109. He is off 107 today in a change of headgear and sure to get the strong pace and big field that brings out the best in him.
