18 in Nunthorpe contention Battaash is the star name among 18 confirmations for the Coolmore Nunthorpe at York on Friday. The Charlie Hills-trained speedball bounced back from defeat at Royal Ascot with a stunning display in the King George Stakes at Goodwood earlier this month and he is a hot favourite to claim next week’s Group One feature. Charlie Appleby’s Blue Point was Battaash’s conqueror in the King’s Stand at the Royal meeting in June and looks set to take him on again. Aidan O’Brien has whittled his potential team down to three, with Battle Of Jericho, Declarationofpeace and Sioux Nation all confirmed. Karl Burke’s Havana Grey, Michael Appleby’s Caspian Prince and the Michael Dods-trained Mabs Cross finished first, second and third in the Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh last month and are all in the mix for York. Other contenders include the possible French raider Finsbury Square and Julie Camacho’s stable star Judicial, who has won his last two starts.
