Aalto proves his Bunbury expertise once again

Ian Williams’ six-year-old has a real affinity with the July course and in particular this contest, having won the seven-furlong event in great style in 2024 and finding only William Haggas’ top-class operator More Thunder a nose too good 12 months ago.

Ridden by William Buick, the 4-1 market leader had a wall of horses ahead of him entering the final quarter-mile but once finding daylight the HQ regular stormed home to score by half a length from chief market rival Back In Black.

Aalto was leading home a one-four for both Williams and the owners, with stablemate Supido fourth.

Of the winner, the trainer said: “He managed himself very well today. He had a lot of ground to make up two (furlongs) down, but William said when he got stuck into him he actually picked up and really flew.

“It’s a huge result. I didn’t think it was inevitable he was going to get there, I thought we had a lot of ground to make up. We were watching Supido as well, who I thought had run his race two out and then stayed on really well.

“I think this is probably just the time of year Aalto comes alive. He wouldn’t have the best lungs on him so we have to mind him and look after him and at this time of year it’s slightly easier to do as the pollen levels have dropped and we can use the paddocks as much as we like to.

“We primarily train handicappers – we don’t have much at Group level – so these big handicaps are really important to us and you have to have your eye on them from a long time out and you have to prepare the horses to get here.”