'I made a phone call to my old pal' - Wesley Ward reveals he asked Frankie Dettori if he would come out of retirement for Nunthorpe ride

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Wesley Ward has revealed he asked Frankie Dettori if he would come out of retirement for the ride on Nunthorpe favourite Bacio at York next Friday.

Ward was recently facing uncertainty over who would partner the Palace of Holyroodhouse winner in the Group 1 Coolmore-sponsored sprint, with regular rider Juan Hernandez unsure as to whether he could get back in time to ride in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar the following day.

Oisin Murphy had initially been lined up to potentially take the ride, but the champion jockey partners last year’s winner Asfoora, who has been kept in training after her Glorious Goodwood fourth for one last hurrah on the Knavesmire.

That left Ward in a bit of a muddle and he called his old ally to ask for his availability.

Ward, who is now able to book Hernandez with his return travel to the US sorted, said: “We were in a bit of a quandary with the jockey situation, so I made a phone call to my old pal.

“I said to him, 'Frankie, will you put your riding boots on one last time?' He said to me, 'I sure would love to, but unfortunately I can't.'" 

Bacio and Juan Hernandez were sensational winners at Royal AscotCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Ward is hoping to land the Nunthorpe for the first time, having endured two runner-up efforts with Acapulco in 2015 and Lady Aurelia in 2017, when she was beaten a nose by Marsha.

“We looked like a winner until we weren't with Acapulco,” said Ward.

"As to Lady Aurelia, it is what it is. I was watching in the paddock and I thought we had got beat, but when Frankie did the fist pump, I figured, 'Well, he's Frankie Dettori, so maybe we've got a little shot.'

"We ran a great race, but we were beaten by a great trainer in Sir Mark Prescott. It just wasn't meant to be. Everything went well, but we didn't win."

Read more from Wesley Ward in The Big Read, available in Sunday's newspaper or online for Racing Post+ Ultimate subscribers from 6pm on Saturday.

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