THE feature race on day three of York’s Ebor Festival was the Group 1 Coolmore City Of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes, in which Bacio (Wesley Ward/Juan Hernandez) gave American trainer Ward a first win in the Knavesmire speed test, making all and quickening decisively to beat Starlust (Ralph Beckett/Rossa Ryan) by a length and a quarter. Rumstar (Jonathan Portman/Rob Hornby) was a nose away in third, and Time For Sandals an eye-catcher in fourth having had nowhere to go until the last 50 yards.

Good to soft ground had looked a possible concern for the US challenger, but he coped with it better than most, travelling powerfully in the centre before Hernandez asked him to go and win his race.

Starlust, sent off at 25/1, finished with real purpose and Rumstar completed a big-priced trifecta, but Bacio’s all-round speed meant that nothing could lay a glove on him, and he’s clearly a top-class performer at the minimum trip, as he had promised when blitzing his rivals in handicap company at Royal Ascot

This win will help erase memories of Lady Aurelia’s defeat in this race a few years ago, when Frankie Dettori celebrated as if he’d won only to find the photo had gone against him and Ward’s brilliant filly.

Juan Hernandez had to catch a helicopter to London to get a flight to Los Angeles in order to ride at Del Mar on Saturday so had no time to celebrate, but couldn’t hide the joy that victory brought him.

Happy to be here

“That was some performance,” said the beaming rider. “All the credit goes to Bacio; I’m just happy to be here, enjoying the moment.

“He was the one that fired, even before the gate he was trying to get ahead of the other guys; he kind of hit the gate a little bit but after that he was calm and he was ready.

“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.

“I want to say thanks to Wesley Ward for bringing me here, assistant Blake, the groom - they do a really beautiful job with this horse and thanks to everybody.

“It’s my first win here but hopefully I can come back again. It’s really special. It’s something I never imagined before when I started riding back in Mexico but I’m really happy and this race is for America and all of my family.”

Stamina proves Al Nayyir’s forte

Lonsdale Cup (Group 2)

AL Nayyir (Tom Clover/William Buick) produced a sustained late run to land the Group 2 Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup Stakes, wearing down Illinois (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) late in the day to score by a length.

Mount Atlas (Andrew Balding/P J McDonald) travelled best but flattered to deceive and finished two and a quarter lengths further back in third, with the well-backed favourite Caballo De Mar fading tamely into fourth and looking a horse with a problem, as he had in the Gold Cup at Ascot.

Quickthorn ensured this was no dawdle, opening up down the back before the pack began to close turning for home. Although Illinois moved smoothly into the lead two furlongs out it was soon clear that Al Nayyir, off the bridle and seemingly struggling on the home turn, was finishing faster than anything from off the pace, and his sustained run took him to the lead inside the final half-furlong for a deserved win after a couple of previous placed efforts in the race.

Left-handed track

The victory continued a fine season for Clover and underlined Al Nayyir’s reliability in the staying division, particularly at this track, which he seems to relish. He seems less effective at Ascot and is not in the British Champions Long Distance Cup, with Clover confirming his preference for a left-handed track and another stint in the Middle East likely in the winter.

Clover said: “They got racing a long way out and he was off the bridle early, but he finds for pressure. William gave him a fantastic ride. I’ve been in front plenty of times at York and been done on the line, so it’s great. He who challenges last wins! He ground it out great, he’s a lovely horse to have in the yard.

“He favours that left-hand lead, he’s slightly better left-handed. At eight-years-young we’ll look after him. I’d imagine he’ll go out to Dubai, whether he’ll have one more run here I’m not sure. We’ll enjoy today.”

Tough Arapaho Gold maintains unbeaten run

Gimcrack Stakes (Group 2)

ARAPAHO Gold (Michael Dods/Connor Beasley) took another significant step forward in the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes, beating Final Objective by three-quarters of a length, with Hell Of A Spin two and a quarter lengths away in third.

Held up just behind the pace, Arapaho Gold travelled with purpose before Beasley angled him into a challenge over a furlong out. Hell Of A Spin briefly looked to have seized the initiative, but the Dods colt found most when asked and was in front entering the final furlong, keeping on well as Final Objective emerged from the pack to chase him home.

The result was a notable boost for northern juvenile form and a particularly satisfying one for Dods, whose winners at York are rarely short of toughness.

Marco Polo, the 13/8 favourite, never threatened to land a blow and ultimately finished only eighth, leaving Arapaho Gold with the clearest claim to have emerged from the race as a proper six-furlong prospect.

Obvious target

Arapaho Gold, a son of the Ballylinch Stud first season sire Bayside Boy, was gelded before joining Dods as he proved hard to manage in pre-training with former jockey Richie McGrath, and that limits his options to some degree – the Middle Park would be an obvious target but geldings aren’t eligible, meaning he’s more likely to go to Newbury for the Mill Reef Stakes and the Commonwealth Cup will be off the agenda next season, but those are problems Dods won’t worry about.

Speaking on ITV Racing, the winning trainer said: “I think Connor would have liked to have gone a bit sooner but obviously he had to sit and wait. He’s shown his ability, some horse. Onwards and upwards now hopefully.

“To win here is everything really, the whole family is here, the owner (Doug Graham) is local. This horse is unbelievable, he wasn’t an expensive purchase, and I think he’ll improve and I think he’ll get another furlong.

“He’s very exciting. He’s in the Mill Reef, that will probably be his next run and that will be the end of the season and then we’ll have to have a rethink.”

Maiden win

The British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden can throw up a good winner and the seven-furlong contest went the way of the Joseph O’Brien-trained Benjamin Hornigold who stayed on strongly on his debut under Colin Keane.

The son of Blackbeard returned at 16/1 for owners Go Racing Ltd.