Bradsell earns Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint berth with Nunthorpe win
Bradsell, a two-time Royal Ascot winner who was scratched from the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint last year, has earned a berth in that race this year after a stalwart victory in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday.
Czech-trained Ponntos, as is his usual style, made the early running, with Bradsell attending just behind. Washington Heights and 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Big Evs were also in range early.
Approaching the two-furlong marker, Bradsell poked his head in front of Ponntos. Jockey Hollie Doyle shook Bradsell up shortly after they made the front. The new leader responded, forging clear and holding 3/4 length safe over a line of closers. Believing got up for second on the far side by a head over Starlust, with 6-5 favorite Asfoora in between them in fourth, another neck back.
Ponntos, Washington Heights, Makarova, Big Evs, Azure Blue, Frost at Dawn, So Majestic and Clarendon House completed the order of finish. Live in the Dream and Regional were non-runners.
Bradsell, the second choice in the pari-mutuel pool, paid his backers $7.80 to win. Bradsell stopped the clock in 57.34 seconds for about five furlongs over turf rated good to firm.
Bradsell is a 4-year-old colt by Tasleet out of the Archipenko mare Russian Punch. Trained by Archie Watson, he had made his name as a two-time winner at Royal Ascot. He won the Coventry (G2) in 2022 and then returned to the royal meeting in 2023 to upset the King's Stand (G1). He had also been entered in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in 2023 but was scratched from the race.
Bradsell had raced just once since being scratched at the Breeders' Cup. Though he had been preparing for an early-season campaign at age 4, he was diagnosed with a cannon bone fracture and had surgery in early February, Watson said in a post-race interview on Racing TV. He returned to the races Aug. 4 in a listed race at Deauville, the Prix du Cercle. Sent off the favorite in a field of 12 for his return, he was always involved and kept on to win by 1 3/4 lengths in that return.
After the race, in an interview with Racing TV, jockey Hollie Doyle praised Bradsell's form. "I had plenty left, although he was idling a bit," she said. "The scary thing is, I probably could have gone quicker."