Bacio bolts to Nunthorpe Stakes victory at York as Hernandez dashes to flight
Bacio, ridden by Juan Hernandez, won the Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday, 21 August 2026, powering clear over the five-furlong trip to a one-and-a-quarter length success.
The front-running colt, described as headstrong and belligerent on the way to post, reproduced a carbon copy of his victory in a five-furlong handicap at Royal Ascot in June despite concerns about softer ground after Ascot had been good-to-firm. The performance gave Wesley Ward his first Nunthorpe success alongside the 13 wins he has recorded at Royal Ascot since 2009.
Hernandez, who has booked rides in California on Saturday afternoon, said: “I know a lot of people were worried about the ground for him, but he didn’t know that,” and then ran to a waiting helicopter to connect with the 6.15pm flight from Heathrow to Los Angeles. He added: “He ran great, he broke out of the gate really well, really sharp and he was ready to go. When the gate opened, he was all fire. He was trying to go too early, but I was able to take him back a little bit and save him for the last part. Everyone here has done such a great job with the horse. I’m really happy, this race is for America and all my family. Thank you, guys.”
Ward watched the race from his barn at Keeneland in Kentucky, the venue for this year’s Breeders’ Cup meeting in late October, having been on the Knavesmire for his three previous Nunthorpe runners. The colt’s ease over the ground at York removed doubts cast by the softer surface and completed a notable pattern of sprint form for the American trainer.
Bacio showed physical exuberance after the race, still bucking and snorting as he was led out of the winner’s enclosure. Caitlin Ward, the trainer’s daughter-in-law, said afterwards: “He’s just so fast that it doesn’t matter what he runs on. He just skips over the surface [and] he’s a classic turf sprinter.” If he is in similar form ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on 31 October, he will be one of the shortest-priced favourites of the two-day meeting.
Meanwhile, Willie Mullins, having broadened his targets from National Hunt racing to Flat staying events, will saddle Love Me Tender (3.35) in Saturday’s Ebor Handicap, with the lightly raced four-year-old capable of giving the stable a third win in the last four runnings of the race as York’s festival meeting concludes on Saturday. Like Absurde (the 2023 winner) and Ethical Diamond (last year’s Ebor winner who went on to land the Breeders’ Cup Turf), Love Me Tender will run in the pink and white silks of the HOS syndicate but has yet to carry those colours in public after being recruited to the Mullins stable following three runs for Peter Schiergen in 2025.
Love Me Tender was fourth in a Listed race at Chantilly on his final start for Schiergen, form that has enabled him to creep into Saturday’s race at the bottom of the weights, and William Buick is booked to ride as Mullins looks to become the first trainer for more than a century to win the Ebor four times. Other notable entries and observations for the day include York 1.50 where James Doyle is aboard Damysus and Archivist, a 16-1 shot up in grade after a career-best Golden Mile win at Goodwood; Chester 2.05 where Asuka is favoured but poorly drawn in stall 12 while Rhoscolyn, in stall one and at around 10-1, has dropped 7lb since the start of the season and prefers some cut in the ground; and York 3.00 where Ten Bob Tony, whose 50-1 Queen Anne win in June looked like a freak, followed up with fourth in the Sussex Stakes and could benefit from a similar pace scenario.
Love Me Tender is confirmed to run in the Ebor Handicap at York on Saturday at 3.35, with William Buick booked to ride and Mullins seeking a fourth Ebor success for his stable.