American trainer Wesley Ward will send out Bacio (Maclean’s Music) in Friday’s G1 Coolmore City of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday.
One of 20 to have stood their ground, the three-old-old has won four-of-five starts, culminating in Royal Ascot’s Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap in June. His task will not be an easy one, as the globetrotting multiple Group 1 winner Asfoora (Flying Artie makes her career finale on Friday. She won the 2025 edition of the Nunthorpe on the Knavesmire.
Francis-Henri Graffard’s Rayevka (Blue Point) will add some French flavour, and Noriyuki Hori’s Japanese sprinter Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa) continues his European campaign.
American Affair (Washington DC) enters fresh off of his G2 King George Stakes victory at Goodwood for Jim Goldie, and, as expected, exciting juvenile Pershaada (Persian Force) will face her elders on Friday for Richard Hannon. The filly won the G3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood. Aidan O’Brien fields G1 King Charles III Stakes hero Mission Central (No Nay Never) and Brussels (Wootton Bassett).
A total of 10 horses remain in the G2 Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup after Trawlerman (Golden Horn)’s retirement was announced on Saturday morning. George Scott’s G1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier hero Caballo De Mar (Phoenix Of Spain) is hoping to bounce back after finishing last in the G1 Gold Cup. Ralph Beckett will saddle Amiloc (Postponed), who unseated Hector Crouch during the G1 Goodwood Cup won by Scandinavia (Justify).
Tom Clover sends out group winner and G2 Yorkshire Cup second Al Nayyir (Dubawi), while Gold Cup fourth French Master (Frankel) will represent John and Thady Gosden in the absence of Trawlerman. From Ireland is Paddy Twomey’s Carmers (Wootton Bassett) and the 2025 dual Derby victor Lambourn (Australia) for Aidan O’Brien.
In Friday’s G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes 15 colts remain, among them Michael Dods’s unbeaten listed hero Arapaho Gold (Bayside Boy). Hugo Palmer’s multiple group-placed Adaay Of Scarlett (Mehmas) will be aiming for the winner’s circle after four-straight second-place finishes. The two-for-two Matteo (Coulsty) for Kevin Ryan and Carry The Flag (No Nay Never) for Aidan O’Brien are others who could make their mark.
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