With a Timeform rating of 120p, the Wesley Ward-trained Bacio (Maclean's Music) has been rated higher than last week's Royal Ascot Group 1 winners Mission Central (119) and Venetian Sun (113), such was the impression he created in winning Friday's Palace of Holyroodhouse by nearly four lengths.
It was the best performance produced in a handicap at Royal Ascot last week as Bacio made a mockery of a BHA mark of 100, while a performance rating of 120 is on a par with that achieved by Almeraq and Satono Reve when filling the first two places in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
The G1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York is reportedly now under consideration for the three-year-old Bacio. For context, the average Timeform performance rating of the last five winners of the Nunthorpe is 120.6, so he is already close to the level required to win a typical renewal, while the small 'p' attached to his rating denotes that he is likely to progress further.
Timeform's Andrew Asquith said, “Wesley Ward saddled both Acapulco (2015) and Lady Aurelia (2017) to finish second in the Nunthorpe Stakes and Bacio will be another leading contender for him if taking his chance later this summer.
“He was outstanding at Royal Ascot last week, looking a very fast horse and not fully extended to pulverise his opposition on handicap debut, clearly well ahead of his mark of 100. A new Timeform rating of 120p marks him out as one of the best sprinters around at present, certainly among the domestic team, and his run style will be tailormade for the sharper nature of York.
“It is encouraging that Ward has already stated he intends to head to York with Bacio, as he'll add plenty of intrigue to the race, and he looks the one to beat at this stage. He would become the first three-year-old winner since Winter Power in 2021 and just the sixth this century.”
Bacio bolts up in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse! #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/51fmZcZc9S
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 19, 2026
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