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Spicy Marg ready to take on her elders in Nunthorpe
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Mon 11 Aug 2025
Spicy Marg is set to be supplemented for next week’s Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
An impressive winner on her Newmarket debut in early June, Michael Bell’s charge subsequently disappointed in the Queen Mary and the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes, but bounced back to form in some style over five furlongs at Goodwood two weeks ago.
As a juvenile filly Spicy Marg will carry just eight stone if she steps up to take on her elders at Group One level on the Knavesmire and Bell is keen to roll the dice.
He said: “The plan is to give it a go. All the speed analysts seem to think she should be having a crack at it – her figures are very, very good – and she clearly is in very good form.
Bell gives his verdict at Goodwood
“I think it’s very relevant her dam (Main Desire) won two Listed races over five furlongs on the Knavesmire, so it’s in her genes she should like the track and I strongly think she will.
“We’re very happy with her and very much looking forward to it.”
Connections are ready to pay the £40,000 supplementary fee to add Spicy Marg to the Nunthorpe field at the weekend, with Hong Kong-based rider Harry Bentley booked for the ride.
“Harry is waiting for his licence to be rubber-stamped by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, he tells me that’s a formality, so the intention is for him to ride,” said Bell, who won the Nunthorpe in 2011 with Margot Did.
“She wants good, fast ground. We’ll wait until Saturday to confirm it, but the intention is very much to supplement her at this stage.”
Get set for the Ebor Meeting!
Frost At Dawn in "form of her life"
Another filly bound for the Nunthorpe is the William Knight-trained Frost At Dawn, who was a neck second to American Affair in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot before finishing fourth in the King George at Goodwood.
Knight said: “She doesn’t need to do much between now and then, she’s put her weight back on already.
“I just hope and pray the rain stays away at York and if it’s good to firm ground there I think she could run a massive race.
“I think she’s in the form of her life at the moment, she just looks so much stronger this year, and I think York will really suit her as a track.
“I just think it’s key that rain stays away and we get a good preparation from now into York. If she can repeat the form from her Ascot run, that puts her bang there.”
Murray banking on Arizona Blue
After a weekend to remember, Adrian Murray is relishing another bid for Group One glory via Arizona Blaze in the Nunthorpe.
While stablemate Power Blue caused a major shock against the long odds-on True Love in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes on Saturday and Bucanero Fuerte ran out a Group Three winner on the same Curragh card, Arizona Blaze is vying for favouritism in the five-furlong feature on the Friday of the four-day Ebor Festival.
Second at the Breeders’ Cup, he has been running to a remarkably consistent level this season in a division that continues to surprise, finishing second in the Commonwealth Cup to Time For Sandals and then winning the Sapphire Stakes by a clear-cut two lengths.
Trainer Adrian Murray is in a rich vein of form (Brian Lawless/PA)
“He’s among the favourites and that is because he always turns up on the day – hopefully he will do again in the Nunthorpe,” said Murray.
“He’s a very exciting horse, he never runs a bad race and the sprint division is wide open this year. There’s no standout horse this season, all the big sprints are being won by different horses. Ours is one of the favourites, but it’s wide open.
“I was talking to Roger O’Callaghan (owner of star two-year-old Lady Iman) the other day and they are going to York because of that, it could be a big field. It’s exciting times ahead, for sure.”
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