Sole Power

Sole Power put up a useful performance to land a five-furlong conditions race at Dundalk on Saturday. Smartly away, the son of Kyllachy was restrained early by Pat Smullen just behind the early pace-setter An Tadh. It looked early in the home straight as if he might not get a split, as Santo Padre raced up on his outside, but he had the strength and the energy to engineer a gap for himself between An Tadh and Santo Padre and, once in the clear, he showed an impressive turn of foot off this fast pace to quickly go a length and a half clear inside the final furlong, and he kept on well all the way to the line to record an impressive victory.

One of just two three-year-olds in the race, the Eddie Lynam-trained gelding could prove to be a useful sprinter this term. Third behind subsequent Group 3 winner Walk On Bye on his racecourse debut last June, and second behind another subsequent Group 3 winner Arctic in a listed race at The Curragh at the end of July, his trainer thought enough of him to allow him contest good races at York and Ascot last term, with the result that he remained a maiden until he easily got off the mark at Dundalk last November. He disappointed on his subsequent run there later that month over six furlongs, but he remains a talented performer on this evidence. There was a lot to like about the manner in which he travelled and quickened here, and the willing attitude that he displayed, and the time of the race was good, 0.21secs/furlong below Racing Post standard, and over a second and a half faster than the handicap run over the same course and distance a half an hour earlier. This was just Sole Power's seventh race, this five-furlong trip suits him well, although he did run a cracker to finish third in the valuable Doncaster St Leger Yearlings' race over six furlongs at York last August. He is versatile in terms of ground and racing surface, and there should be more to come.

3rd April 2010

© The Irish Field, 10th April

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