Sole Power to Try for Second Nunthorpe Win

Sole Power will try to land the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (Eng-I) for a second time Aug. 22 at York, but trainer Eddie Lynam says his runner might not be at the top of his game.

 

Lynam's 7-year-old Kyllachy gelding takes on 14 rivals in the five-furlong race that he won in 2010 at 100-1 odds before becoming one of the world's elite sprinters. He was a close third in last year's race behind Jwala and familiar opponent Shea Shea, who tries to go one better this year.

 

The Nunthorpe is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win & You're In" series, with the winner qualifying for a start in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) later this year at Santa Anita Park.

 

A win in the race would mark a third consecutive triumph this season for Sole Power. He comes in off a second victory in the  King's Stand Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot, defeating Stepper Point and Hot Streak in the June 17 event, and both  reoppose in Friday's race. Prior to that, Sole Power won the May 3 Pearl Bloodstock Palace House (Eng-II), in which Hot Streak was third, at Newmarket. In the 2013 King's Stand, he bested Shea Shea by a neck.

 

Sole Power bypassed the Darley July Cup (Eng-I) because of soft going, and since his Royal Ascot win has missed some training due to a skin infection.

 

Lynam said Sole Power worked well Aug. 19 in his final serious move for the Nunthorpe, but questions whether he has his group I form.  

 

"My gut feeling is that he may not be quite in the same form as he was before Royal Ascot," he said, "but he is coming back to himself day by day so we will take him to York hopeful rather than confident.

 

"This will be the fourth time that he has run in the Nunthorpe. He is about 45 kilos heavier now than when he won it in 2010, so he has developed a lot and got a lot stronger," Lynam added. "I keep expecting him to show signs of old age but that has yet to materialize. I would even say that his most impressive race ever was his last (at Royal Ascot)."

 

Sole Power is the 3-1 favorite with most bookmakers, with Shea Shea, Take Cover, and Hot Streak at 7-1.

 

Multiple group I-winning sprinter Shea Shea was 11th, beaten seven lengths by Sole Power, in the King's Stand last time out.

 

Take Cover is back at the top level after a pair victories in July at York, and in the Betfred King George (Eng-II) Aug. 1 at Goodwood from Nunthorpe entrants Extortionist and Moviesta, who came out of last year's race with an injury. Take Cover was eighth in the King's Stand and will bid for a group I breakthrough.

 

Hot Streak also seeks his first group I victory after a seventh to Sole Power's stablemate Slade Power in the Darley July Cup (Eng-I) following his third in the King's Stand. He won the Temple Stakes (Eng-II) in May at Haydock from Pearl Secret, also set to start in the Nunthorpe.

 

Also entered is 12-year-old Borderlescott, who won the Nunthorpe twice—in 2008 and 2009. He is tabbed as high as 150-1 odds.

 

1. 5. Borderlescott (GB) (Compton Place), no rider, 137, R. Bastiman 

2. 3. Monsieur Joe (IRE) (Choisir), G. Lee, 137, P. Midgley

3. 4. Moviesta (KY) (Hard Spun), P. Mulrennan, 137, B. Smart

4. 14. Pearl Secret (GB) (Compton Place), O. Murphy, 137, T. Barron

5 13. Shea Shea (SAF) (National Emblem), C. Soumillon, 137, M. de Kock

6. 10. Sole Power (GB) (Kyllachy), R. Hughes, 137, E. Lynam

7. 2. Stepper Point (GB) (Kyllachy), M. Dwyer, 137, W. Muir

8. 1. Steps (IRE) (Verglas), K. Fallon, 137, R. Varian

9. 9. Take Cover (GB) (Singspiel), J. Doyle, 137, D. Griffiths

10. 6. Astaire (IRE) (Intense Focus), N. Callan, 135, K. Ryan

11. 8. Cougar Mountain (IRE) (Fastnet Rock), J. O'Brien, 135, A. O'Brien

12. 7. Extortionist (IRE) (Dandy Man), R. Moore, 135, O. Stevens

13. 12. G Force (IRE) (Tamayuz), D. Tudhope, 135, D. O'Meara

14. 15. Hot Streak (IRE) (Iffraaj), J. Spencer, 135, K. Ryan

15. 11. Rangali (GB) (Namid), F. Veron, 135, H. Pantall