Wesley Ward backing Bacio to Sprint to Breeders’ Cup glory

After sensational displays at Royal Ascot and York, Bacio is primed to wave goodbye to his sprinting rivals on home soil in the Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

Wesley Ward's three-year-old breezed to a handicap success in the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the Royal meeting before returning to the UK two months later to once again rout the opposition with a blistering display of front-running in the Nunthorpe.

And after showcasing his talents overseas, he is now welcoming the world's best sprinters into his own backyard in search of a five-timer in a race his trainer landed with Golden Pal in 2021.

Ward said: “Bacio is doing great and we're ready to go. He couldn't be going into this race any better and this is his home court.

“Not only are we here in America but this is Keeneland which is his home. He'll be coming from his stall where he has been for the last two years and all we have to do is put the saddle on him, lead him over to the paddock and watch him run fast.

“We're very excited and we've had no hiccups. During the summer he had to contend with shipping him over for Ascot and then York, where we had to go to Scotland and then take him down to York. Here he's just got to get out of bed and go from A to B.”

Jose D'Angelo's defending champion Shisospicy and last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint heroine Cy Fair (George Weaver) are other US speedsters with leading claims, with Donnacha O'Brien's Comanche Brave heading European hopes.

The Irish raider has so far avoided squaring off against Bacio in picking up both the July Cup at Newmarket and Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh this summer, but is now ready for an eagerly-awaited clash of continents.

O'Brien said: “He's a straightforward horse who travels well and it will be an interesting race. Bacio is a very good sprinter and we'll have some fun taking him on.

“Fair play to Wesley for what he has achieved with Bacio in the summer. He's never afraid to travel them and seeing what he did to the five-furlong horses over here was very impressive.

“Now it's our turn to take him on on his home turf, so we're looking forward to it.”

Elsewhere on the card, Notable Speech is back to defend the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile title he landed at Del Mar 12 months ago as he looks to extend Charlie Appleby's impeccable record in the race.

Appleby, seeking a fifth win in the contest, told www.godolphin.com: “I have been very happy with Notable Speech, who comes here on the back of a good win in the Woodbine Mile. You could probably mark that run up a little as he would have been closer to the pace in an ideal world, although he still showed his turn of foot.

“We are a little further out compared to last year in stall eight and I think William (Buick) will sit a couple off the fence and give himself options to go in or out and slingshot off the turn. He has been here and done it before and looks to have a great chance if he gets a clear run.”

Miguel Clement's Deterministic was runner-up to Notable Speech when they met at Woodbine last month, while the home team will also be hoping to see William Walden's Rhetorical confirm Coolmore Turf Mile form with William Haggas' Lake Forest .

However, there is sure to be a strong challenge presented by Aidan O'Brien's pair of True Love – returning to her Classic-winning distance after landing the Prix de la Foret earlier this month – and Puerto Rico , who was third behind his stablemate at ParisLongchamp on Arc day.

“We thought a mile might stretch her, but she won a Newmarket Guineas and you have to get a mile to win that,” O'Brien said of True Love.

“However, she also won a Queen Mary and a Cheveley Park and it was very unusual for a horse to stretch all the way from six furlongs to the mile.

“She will need everything to go right, and doesn't want to be in front for too long. We'll have to ride her to get the mile.”

He added: “Puerto Rico is a dual Group One winner. We gave him the whole year to set him right and had him in a good place going into France. It was a massive run and he could outgun the filly over that trip as his work has been exceptional.”