Battaash sets new course record in Nunthorpe victory

Battaash lowered the track record for five furlongs on turf at York Racecourse in England on Friday with an emphatic victory in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes on a straightaway course.

The victory could lead to a start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2. Battaash earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Turf Sprint with Friday’s win in the $485,360 Nunthorpe.

Battaash (7-4) was timed in 55.90 seconds, beating the old record of 56.16 seconds set by Dayjur in the same race in 1990. Ridden by Jim Crowley, Battaash took the lead with a quarter-mile remaining and stormed clear to win by 3 3/4 lengths over 20-1 Soldier’s Call.

So Perfect, a 25-1 outsider, finished third in the field of 11. So Perfect is trained by Aidan O’Brien, who also started Ten Sovereigns, the 13-8 favorite who was well-placed in the final quarter-mile, but faded to finish sixth, 7 1/2 lengths behind Battaash. Ten Sovereigns won the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket last month.

Battaash, a 5-year-old gelding by Dark Angel, was fourth in the Nunthorpe in 2017 and last year. More recently, Battaash won the Group 2 King George Stakes at five furlongs at Goodwood Racecourse as the 1-4 favorite on Aug. 2. He was second to Blue Point in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at five furlongs at Royal Ascot in June. Blue Point has since been retired to stud.

Trained by Charles Hills for Sheikh Hamdan of Dubai, Battaash has won 10 of 19 starts. Hills said the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at five furlongs at Longchamp Racecourse on Oct. 6 is an early autumn goal.

Earlier on Friday’s program at York, Stradivarius won his ninth consecutive start in the Group 2 Londsdale Cup at two miles.

Trained by John Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, Stradivarius (4-9) won by 1 1/4 lengths over 3-1 Dee Ex Bee. With the win, the highly-popular Stradivarius secured a bonus of approximately $1.2 million for sweeping four marathon races in the same year for the second consecutive season.