Bradsell prepping for BC Turf Sprint in Flying Five

The British sprinter Bradsell earned a berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar with a win in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York Racecourse on Aug. 23 in England.

The victory has left Bradsell as a strong favorite to further enhance his record in a field of 18 in Sunday’s Group 1 Flying Five Stakes at The Curragh in Ireland. Should Bradsell lose, the winner of the Flying Five will receive a berth to the BC Turf Sprint, which will be run Nov. 2.

Bradsell, trained by Archie Watson, was scratched from the BC Turf Sprint at Santa Anita last November three days before the race. He did not race again until Aug. 4, when he won a minor stakes at five furlongs at Deauville Racecourse in France.

In the $443,000 Flying Five Stakes, Bradsell drew post 14, far from rival Believing, who starts from the inside post. The race will be run on a straightaway course.

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Believing was second by three-quarters of a length to Bradsell in the Nunthorpe Stakes. Earlier this year, Believing won the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at five furlongs at The Curragh, his first start at the Irish track.

While the Flying Five Stakes has a hearty-sized field, there are only five 2-year-old fillies in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at seven furlongs. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 1.

O’Brien has three of the five entrants in the $443,000 Moyglare Stud Stakes, led by Bedtime Story and Lake Victoria, who are both undefeated.

Bedtime Story, who will be strongly favored, has won four times, including the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and the Group 2 Debutante Stakes on Aug. 24 at The Curragh. Both races were run at seven furlongs.

Lake Victoria won the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes at seven furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse in her second start on Aug. 10.

There are two other Group 1 races on The Curragh card – the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes for 2-year-olds, featuring the undefeated O’Brien colt Henri Matisse, and the Irish St. Leger, a stayers race for 3-year-olds and up that is toppped by the O’Brien-trained Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup winner Kyprios.

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