BACIO stamped himself as a world-class sprinting star at York when he took his race record to five wins in six starts, and his Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes victory was especially sweet for Wesley Ward who came close previously to landing the feature.

The winner, a son of Maclean’s Music (Distorted Humor), has only once had his colours lowered, finishing half a length second to the Irish-bred Later Than Planned in the Listed Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita last year on his second start, two months after he won a seven-runner maiden special on his debut at Monmouth Park. That first start was his only run on dirt. Regaining the winning thread a month after being stakes-placed, Bacio was then off the track until late April when he was a convincing winner over the minimum trip at Churchill Downs.