After reflecting upon a momentous week at Royal Ascot, Archie has revealed plans for his three big winners including the brilliant Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes hero BRADSELL.
Victorious Racing’s three-year-old began an unforgettable week for the Saxon Gate team who also cheered Saint Lawrence to a remarkable victory in the big handicap on the final day, the Wokingham Stakes, and Rhythm N Hooves to glory in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes.
And just as thrilling was two-year-old Army Ethos’s close second in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes on the opening day in the colours of Bradsell’s owners Victorious Racing.
“York’s big Group 1 The Nunthorpe Stakes in August will probably be next on the agenda for Bradsell, who has come out of his race in great form,” confirms Archie. “It was an amazing day and I’m grateful to his owners Victorious Racing for agreeing to supplement him for a fee of £35,000 and to the team at home who have played their part in bringing him back from a long-term injury.
“It was an easy decision to pull back to five furlongs, although it wasn’t easy in that we had to pay such a lot of money to supplement but Shaikh Nasser (bin Hamad Al Khalifa) of Victorious Racing was incredibly sporting.
“We just felt this year Bradsell was showing a lot more speed in his races and not getting home over six, so I was keen to drop him back to five furlongs. I thought we’d get a proper tow into the race and I didn’t want to sound arrogant saying nothing could take us off the bridle until deep into the race, but it’s kind of what we really felt so I’m so glad he justified our belief.”
Bradsell, who had finished third in the Commonwealth Cup Trial and the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes over six furlongs, got the better of favourite Highfield Princess to follow up last year’s win in the Coventry Stakes and give Hollie Doyle a slice of history as she became the first female jockey to ride a Group 1 winner at the Royal Meeting.
“Hollie gave him a great ride. She’s one of the top five jockeys in the country so to have her as part of the team is just fantastic,” adds Archie. “We’ve grown together really. She came to me when she lost her claim, and I was only a couple of years in. I’m so pleased I can give her the rides and the winners she deserves.”
Meanwhile, Saint Lawrence could step up in class to contest the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock Park in September and the Champions’ Sprint at Ascot in October after winning the Wokingham under another fine ride by Hollie on his first start for Archie.
“You’ve got races like the Stewards Cup but we will definitely be looking at stakes races now,” adds the proud trainer, who gave credit to his owner-breeder John Deer for moving the five-year-old to Lambourn from Newmarket.
“It was very fortunate that Mr Deer thought a change of scenery might just suit him. He’d been leading Bradsell in his homework so we knew he had something under the bonnet.”
Hollie celebrated another success when Rhythm N Hooves won the big three-year-old handicap on the fourth day, winning over £50,000 for his owner-breeders The Cool Silk Partnership. It was his first win on turf at only the second attempt and sets him up for a crack at a valuable handicap for his age group at Glorious Goodwood.
“He has been on a steep learning curve and was still un-raced in March,” adds Archie. “He’s come a long way to win a Royal Ascot handicap just three months after starting off. Hollie won on him on the All-Weather on her first ride back from injury and he learned plenty in a big field at York.”
Army Ethos lost nothing in defeat in the Coventry, finishing just a neck behind hot favourite River Tiber from the powerful yard of Irish ace Aidan O’Brien. He is a horse to look forward to with a big future.
By Simon Mapletoft
