Archie Watson made the bold call to supplement his talented three-year-old at the six-day stage for the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.  That decision was vindicated when he beat last year’s Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Highfield Princess, by a length.

Having won his actual maiden on the Knavesmire, that run in Berkshire was Bradsell’s maiden Group 1 win, remarkably coming on his first start over the minimum trip. Upper Lambourn-based Watson believes an emphasis on speed suits his stable flagbearer.

“I don’t see a sharper five furlongs being a problem,” he said in relation to the Knavesmire speed contest.

“He travels so well that nothing can really take him far enough into his races. Over the quick five furlongs at York he should get a nice tow deep into the race.”

Bradsell has not been sighted since his Royal Ascot success on 20 June, but Watson has kept him deliberately fresh as a result of the programme and reports the Victorious Racing-owned colt to be training nicely.

“I would say it’s a reflection of the options over five furlongs,” he explained of the two-month absence.

“He won his Group 1 at Ascot, so I didn’t feel the need to go to the Group 2 at Goodwood, and I wasn’t going to step him back up to six furlongs in between either.

“I have been delighted with him since Ascot. He cantered away in his routine for six weeks and then has been galloping well through August into this race.”

Bradsell has raced predominantly on top of the ground, but his presence in York’s £500,000 Group 1 will not be dictated by the weather.

“He has obviously got very good form on good and good-to-firm ground,” Watson said.

“We haven’t deliberately avoided cut in the ground. His maiden win was on good-to-soft but until we run on proper soft ground we won’t know.

“I never get overly concerned about it until you know that a horse doesn’t handle a certain type of ground. If it rains, it rains.”

Bradsell is one of 30 entries still in contention for the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes, where he is set to renew rivalry with Highfield Princess.  John Quinn’s six-year-old warmed up for this assignment by taking  a Goodwood Group 2 and the pair dominate the early betting.

Watson, who is closing in on his best-ever season by prize-money, is set to be well represented across all four days of next week’s Sky Bet Ebor Festival.

Newbury Listed winner, Action Point, is being readied for a tilt at the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes, while Ambushed will take his chance in the Goffs UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling Stakes.

Regarding Action Point, Watson said: “The flat, quick six furlongs at York should suit him well and I’m looking forward to seeing him up in class as he was impressive last time and is a horse we have always thought a lot of.”

Of Ambushed, he added: “He won his maiden at Newcastle from a horse of Adrian Keatley’s who was subsequently second in the Richmond Stakes (Ballymount Boy).

“He has plenty of ability and I hope he can run a good race, if the draw and pace set-up are kind. You need plenty of luck in the big-field sales races.”