Wesley Ward Team Prepares For Ebor Festival

Brilliant American filly Lady Aurelia is settling in at York ahead of her bid to add the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes to her international record on August 25.

She is one of three intended runners at the four-day York Ebor festival for Kentucky-based trainer Wesley Ward.

Ward first visted York with Acapulco in 2015 when he finished second in the Nunthorpe.

Ward plans to kick off with Happy Like A Fool, a juvenile filly expected to be given a supplementary entry for the G2 Lowther Stakes on August 24 after her second in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Lowther Stakes is Britain’s richest Group 2 race for 2YO fillies.

Lady Aurelia is also a winner at Royal Ascot and is rated among the the best 3YOs in the US, having put up a memorable display of speed in the G1 King's Stand Stakes over the same five-furlong trip as the Coolmore Nunthorpe.

The American filly is a general 6-4 favourite for York’s premier sprint in front of King George Stakes winner Battaash, from the Lambourn yard of Charlie Hills.

Completing the American raiding party is Elizabeth Darcy, a filly last seen running into second in a G3 at Deauville after her European debut in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Her target comes on August 26 in the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes over five furlongs.

The three young runners have been accompanied by the veteran Strike The Tiger, a Royal Ascot runner back in 2009.

They are reported to have settled in well at York with their stable staff led by Ward’s assistant trainer Ed Veale.

“The horses and the team have had a great welcome and have settled in really well at York ahead of an exciting week,” Veale said.

“We dream of having a single winner at a big festival like the Ebor. Wesley came so close with Acapulco back in 2015 so having live prospects in three stakes races is a real buzz.

“We know it won’t be easy because everyone wants a share of that prestige and prize money.”