Five key runners in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York

Click here for all the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes runners and riders, form and latest betting.

Those with a need for speed are not going to be disappointed by the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday.

It’s a fabulously international renewal with the best of British, French and American challengers among a final field of 15.

With quick going on the cards, Battaash’s course record of 55.90 seconds could be under threat. Those who dwell at the start or need a breath running down to the final furlong may as well stay at home.

Here are the five key runners in the Group One feature, where a first prize of almost £227,000 is up for grabs.

Trainer: Michael Dods. Draw: 13. Timeform rating: 123. General odds: 25-1

The official ratings point to him requiring a big personal best to get into the thick of the things and, at the age of 7, you would have thought he has reached his ceiling.

But this is a horse who has never stopped improving and he’s in his element at York, having won at the track on five times – making all on four occasions. Dominating here will be far from easy but at juicy odds he is worth considering each-way, especially with those firms offering extra places.

He was better than ever in the autumn last year, when his exploits included an emphatic all-the-way win in the Group Three Bengough Stakes, usually run at Ascot but ran at York on that occasion.

It doesn’t seem to matter whether he’s running over 5f or 6f, and don’t be put off by his defeats here and at Chester this term, as he needed the run on the first occasion and didn’t look at home on the track on the latter occasion. You can be certain he will be spot-on this time, with Michael Dods having an excellent record in the race.

Tactics: Connor Beasley is likely to let his partner drift towards the centre of the track and try and get into the likely slipstream of Golden Pal.

Trainer: Wesley Ward. Draw: 1. Timeform rating: 128p. Odds: 11-4

This is the race that Wesley Ward craves more than any other, with the narrow defeats of Acapulco (2015) and Lady Aurelia (2017) fuelling his desire.

This has been at the top of Golden Pal’s agenda since his front-running victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint at Keeneland in November, which came after he had been clawed back close home in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He’s got bundles of pace and any concerns that surgery for an ankle chip had left a mark were dispelled when he won in impressive style at Saratoga last month. Provided the rain stays away, he is going to take plenty of pegging back from what looks a favourable draw. Battaash won from the same gate two years ago.

Tactics: Frankie Dettori will be hoping to ping the gates and instantly find some clear water. Then it will be a case of him trying to get the fractions right and not do too much, too soon.

Trainer: Francois Rohaut. Draw: 14. Timeform rating: 130. Odds: 9-4

The French filly could hardly have been more impressive when routing a dozen rivals in the King George Stakes at Goodwood last time, a race that Battaash used as a stepping stone to glory in this for the past two years.

That was her first run over a bare 5f but she was in her comfort zone the whole way and swept three lengths clear of a solid yardstick in Dragon Symbol, who faces no easy task turning the tables.

Suesa had previously disappointed in the Commonwealth Cup, although the combination of 6 and testing ground were probably against her that day. Her connections had been concerned by conditions, even though her early wins in France were achieved in the mud.

Those looking for chinks could argue that the leaders went overly hard into a strong wind at Goodwood, and that she benefited from a patient ride. The overall slowish time adds some weight to this theory, but it was not the first time she had won in the style of a top-class sprinter and fillies have a decent recent record in this.

Tactics: A wide draw away from Golden Pal is not ideal. William Buick will almost certainly drop in and deploy her turn of foot late on. If the leaders go too quick, so much the better for her.

Trainer: Tim Easterby. Draw: 6. Timeform rating: 124. Odds: 6-1

She progressed through last year and blitzed her rivals in the Cornwallis at Newmarket in October.

That promised plenty for this term, and she has built on that performance with trail-blazing wins at York in May and July. That show this flat track plays to her strengths.

You can pick some holes in her form but the raw pace she has shown has meant rivals being burnt off some way from home. And her times stand close inspection.

In between her wins at York, she failed to figure in the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot. However, she was suspiciously easy to back that day and was one of those who overdid things from the front.

Tactics: She seems certain to be allowed to jump and run, but a lesson was surely learnt at Royal Ascot. Silvestre de Sousa will be wanting to preserve something for the finish.

Trainer: Eve Johnson Houghton. Draw: 10. Timeform rating: 113. Odds: 50-1

Not many two-year-olds contest the Nunthorpe, but Lyric Fantasy (1992) and Kingsgate Native (2007) have shown that they can take full advantage of the lumps of weight that the older horses much concede. The former was unbeaten and went off at odds-on, but the latter had been beaten in his previous two starts.

Chipotle has landed in a hot renewal but the manner of his Windsor Castle win at Royal Ascot in June suggests he should not be a 50-1 chance. Armor, who was fifth that day, has since franked that form with an emphatic win in the Molecomb.

Nothing went right for Chipotle in the Super Sprint last time, and his only other defeats have been on soft ground, which clearly blunt his speed. First-time cheekpieces may also help him.

Tactics: Hollie Doyle is unlikely to be in a rush and will probably try and smuggle Chipotle into contention in the second half of the race.

No prizes for originality, but GOLDEN PAL has plenty going for him and this speedy colt has what it takes to make history and become the first American-trained winner of he Nunthorpe.