Acapulco felled by Angel at York

American two-year-old Acapulco had to settle for second in Friday’s Group One Nunthorpe Stakes after Mecca’s Angel caught the hot favourite close to home.


Acapulco was trying to add this five furlong dash to her impressive success in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.

And enjoying a huge weight allowance for her age and sex the US filly blazed a trail down the track and appeared set for victory, only to be reeled in well inside the final furlong by Mecca’s Angel.

At four, double the age of the runners-up, the 15-2 winner went away to register a two-length success under jockey Paul Mulrennan.

Tasting victory at this level for the first time, Mulrennan said: “Because the American horse had such a low weight I didn’t want to give her too much rope.

“The second gave me a good run for my money but this filly has really flown.

“That’s my first Group One winner and to do it at York is special. It’s our local track and we’ve told people all year how good she is.

“She’s proven to everyone what she can do and she’s awesome when she can get her toe in. Fair play to Michael (Dods, the trainer) because we’ve been building her up all year.”

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