The Group 1 Flying Five Stakes at The Curragh on 15th September is the likely target for our fantastic Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe winner Bradsell.
Our star sprinter dominated the York showpiece on day three of the Ebor Festival to supplement previous high-level successes in the Coventry Stakes and the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Remarkably, the four-year-old suffered a cannon bone fracture earlier in the year but looked better than ever when powering home from a stellar field including Australian star Asfoora and Breeders Cup hero Big Evs.
Now Bradsell, who returned from an 11-month absence to win a Listed race in France less than three weeks earlier, is set to head to Ireland for his next assignment.
Paying tribute to his star, Archie says: “It’s pretty incredible what he’s achieved. A lot of hard work has gone into this horse. He fractured a cannon bone and underwent surgery in early February but passed every stage of his rehabilitation with flying colours.
“My thanks go all the people who have played a part in getting him back to the track in such fantastic form, from Matt Smith who operated on him to my dedicated team at home and Hollie Doyle, who rides him in all his work and did such a great job at York.”
Bradsell’s success gave stable jockey Hollie her 10th Group 1 winner. “I was so confident going into the race that he’d take all the beating,” she adds. “He’s been a different horse since coming back from his injury lay-off and never gave me a moment’s doubt.
“The night I got the phone call telling me he’d sustained an injury that was potentially career ending was a dark moment so to win the Nunthorpe on him is unbelievable.”
A brilliant winner of the Coventry Stales at two and the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes last summer, Victorious Racing’s speedy son of Tasleet returned to action in the five-furlong Listed Prix du Cercle at Deauville at the beginning of August.
After elevating his official rating to 118, he will now attempt to follow up his York success in Ireland’s top sprint.
By Simon Mapletoft
