The Wesley Ward trained Golden Pal was being shaped to line up in the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes at York's Ebor meeting but will now miss the event.
Golden Pal was unleashed to British viewers when finishing an extremely close second in the Group Two Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, just being beat by the Michael Bell trained The Lir Jet.
Wesley Ward was eyeing up trying to land Friday's Group One for the first time with his rising star but instead has been scratched at the five day forfeit stage.
It's been confirmed that Andrea Atzeni has picked up the ride of American raider GOLDEN PAL, seen below finishing second in the Norfolk Stakes, for this years Nunthorpe Stakes 🐎🇺🇸
— The Winners Enclosure (@TWEnclosure) July 23, 2020
What a race that is turning out to be 😍
🎬 @AtTheRaces pic.twitter.com/eVXKcT5gyX
Ward has finished second in the five furlong event twice with Lady Aurelia and Acapulco and he will not be winning the race this term with no other alternative runner left in the event.
(Credit ATR) “Golden Pal is not coming,” said IRB director Adrian Beaumont.
“We received an email from Wesley overnight, saying he had been considering a race at Saratoga against the Nunthorpe. Looking at the weather forecast for York and obviously the opposition, he’s decided to keep him at home and run at Saratoga instead.
“It was a late decision – the horse would have been shipping tomorrow (Tuesday) if he was going to run at York.”