Overview
- Bacio produced a front-running, three-and-three-quarter-length win in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Royal Ascot on Friday.
- After the race, jockey Juan Hernandez initially weighed in 1lb light which prompted the clerk of the scales to lodge an objection and started a stewards' inquiry.
- Stewards reviewed video of the finish and found Hernandez had carried the over-girth during the race but dropped it after unsaddling; the missing over-girth was recovered in the winner’s enclosure.
- With the over-girth replaced Hernandez re-weighed at the correct weight, the inquiry cleared the connections and Hernandez denied any wrongdoing.
- Trainer Wesley Ward celebrated his first Royal Ascot winner since 2021 and said he now plans to step Bacio up in class, a move that could test the colt against stronger international company.