Golden Pal misses Nunthorpe

Horse Racing

Ashley Iveson
August 17, 2020 10:30 am

Ward decides to keep US juvenile at home.

American juvenile Golden Pal has been scratched from the Coolmore Nunthorpe at York.

The son of Uncle Mo looked set to provide his trainer Wesley Ward with a third victory in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, only to be mowed down in the shadow of the post by Michael Bell’s The Lir Jet.

Ward has a score to settle in the Nunthorpe, having seen both Acapulco and Lady Aurelia finish second on the Knavesmire – and as he would receive lumps of weight from his elders, Golden Pal was viewed as a leading contender for Friday’s five-furlong Group One.

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However, Ward confirmed to the International Racing Bureau on Sunday night that his youngster would not be making the trans-Atlantic trip – and Weatherbys released an official scratched notification shortly after 9am on Monday.

“Golden Pal is not coming,” said IRB director Adrian Beaumont.

“We received an email from Wesley overnight, saying he had been considering a race at Saratoga against the Nunthorpe. Looking at the weather forecast for York and obviously the opposition, he’s decided to keep him at home and run at Saratoga instead.

“It was a late decision – the horse would have been shipping tomorrow (Tuesday) if he was going to run at York.”