American sprinter Bacio surged ahead of his rivals from the start, delivering trainer Wesley Ward his inaugural win in the Coolmore City Of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes at York. The 3‑year‑old, who had already impressed with a dominant performance in the Palace of Holyroodhouse at Royal Ascot in June, entered the race as the 3/1 favourite and lived up to expectations, cruising clear of the field and finishing a length and a quarter ahead of Starlust. Ward, a well‑known figure on the U.S. racing circuit, has enjoyed considerable success at Royal Ascot, tallying thirteen winners over the years.
However, the Knavesmire had remained a missing piece in his résumé. He previously sent Acapulco to a second‑place finish in 2015 and, two years later, fielded Lady Aurelia, who famously crossed the line first only to be beaten by a nose by Marsha after a dramatic celebration by Frankie Dettori. Bacio’s victory finally gave Ward the coveted York win he had been chasing.
The day’s conditions sparked a brief pre‑race debate. The ground had been softened by rain, prompting some to wonder whether the American‑trained colt, accustomed to firmer surfaces, would cope. Those worries vanished the moment the stalls opened. Juan Hernandez, the jockey, guided Bacio out of the gates with a burst of speed that left his competitors scrambling to keep up.
By the halfway point, most of the field was already lagging, and Bacio never looked vulnerable. He maintained a steady rhythm, extending his lead and cruising to the finish line with authority.
After the race, Hernandez faced a logistical scramble. He needed to catch a 6:30 p.m.
flight from Heathrow to Los Angeles to be ready for the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. To make the connection, he was whisked from the middle of the Knavesmire to Heathrow by helicopter, a tight schedule that left him with no spare minutes.
While returning for a brief trophy presentation before the Queen, Hernandez reflected on the performance: "The horse gave everything; he had trained brilliantly. He shipped well, despite concerns about the ground, and when the gate opened he was pure fire. I had to pull him back a little early, but he saved that for the finish and won from the gate.
This win is for America and my family. Thank you all!" Bacio’s triumph was not the only story from the day. In the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes, Arapaho Gold extended his unbeaten streak to four wins.
Trained by Michael Dods, the gelding had previously competed in modest races at Thirsk before a brief withdrawal due to a stall incident at Beverley. He then stepped up to Listed class in the Rose Bowl at Newbury, handling the increased competition with aplomb.
In the Group Two contest at York, Arapaho Gold, under jockey Connor Beasley, faced a brief challenge from Final Objective but rallied strongly, pulling away to win by three‑quarters of a length at 2/1 odds. Dods, a Darlington‑based trainer, has a storied history at York. A decade earlier, he guided Mecca's Angel to a second Nunthorpe victory on the same day, and his sprinter Dakota Gold has won on the Knavesmire six times.
Speaking after the race, Dods praised his charge: "Once he was out and running I was happy. At halfway he was looking for a bit of room, but once it opened he really quickened up. Connor said the last 100 yards he gave him some feel and he surged away. He's a good horse; this was a big step up and he took it in stride.
When we've wanted him to step up, he has, and he steps up again. He's just a great horse, isn’t he?" Looking ahead, Dods outlined the colt’s future campaign: "He'll go to the Mill Reef at Newbury now and that will probably be it for the season. We'll see where we go next year.
He’s got the speed for six furlongs as you've just seen and I don’t think you'll see any problems getting seven. He quickens up and he gallops. It's an interesting problem (planning), but we'll deal with it.
He's an exciting horse to have and it's brilliant that we've got him in the yard. We've had a lot of luck at York, but this is right up there with the two Mecca's Angel wins and winning that is unbelievable." Richard Brown, racing advisor to Wathnan Racing, whose horse Final Objective finished second, praised the performance: "It was a massive run, a race where you are delighted because the horse has run a huge race. A furlong out I thought he was coming to win; he hasn't been straightforward and Hamad (Al Jehani) has done a great job training this horse and that is a career best, so we'll keep him busy." Brown also hinted at future plans: "He wandered about when he won at Thirsk last week and he has done again, so I think we'll pop a pair of cheekpieces on.
There's a race in France, the Prix Eclipse, that we could look at, but we'll all have a sit down and see what might be best for him." Adrian Keatley, commenting on the third‑placed Hell Of A Spin, said: "He's a hardy little horse who tries his heart out and he's running consistently well in these good races. You'd like to think there's a nice one in him one of these days; I don't think the trip or ground were a concern for him, it was just the winner quickened away. He's been placed in a Molecomb and Gimcrack now.
There could be a race in France towards the back‑end for him – we'll keep trying." The day’s results underscore the international nature of modern flat racing, with American trainers and horses making a decisive impact on British soil. Bacio’s victory not only adds a prestigious York win to Wesley Ward’s résumé but also highlights the logistical challenges of trans‑Atlantic campaigns, where jockeys must juggle tight travel schedules while maintaining peak performance. Meanwhile, the successes of Arapaho Gold and Hell Of A Spin demonstrate the depth of talent within the UK training ranks, as they continue to develop horses capable of competing at the highest levels. For racing fans, the takeaway is clear: the Nunthorpe Stakes remains a showcase of raw speed, tactical brilliance, and the global connections that define the sport today.
Whether you follow the sport on television, via Sky Sports Racing, or through mobile news feeds, the stories from York provide a vivid reminder of why sprint races capture the imagination of enthusiasts worldwide.