Sole Power the only one to back in Scarbrough Stakes

The four-day St Leger Festival gets under way on Wednesday in relatively low-key fashion, with the Scarbrough Stakes over five furlongs being the main event on the first day.

Thirteen horses have stood their ground for the Listed race, with Sole Power standing out from the crowd having acquitted himself well in a series of Group events this year.

Sole Power has not won any of his last 11 races but he has gone very close in considerably classier events than the Scarbrough Stakes since taking out a Group Two contest over five furlongs at Haydock on good-to-firm going in May 2011.

The consistent five-year-old son of Kyllachy has recorded five top-three finishes in Group races since his Haydock victory, including three in the highest class of all, Group One. He was a head third to Tangerine Trees in the 2011 Prix de l`Abbaye de Longchamp, a one-and-a-quarter-length second to Ortensia in the Al Quoz Sprint during the 2012 Dubai World Cup meeting and a one-and-three-quarter-length third to Little Bridge in this year`s King`s Stand Stakes.

The draw beat Sole Power in the Nunthorpe Stakes - he came out of stall 18 and he was the runner-up of those runners who raced on the side of the track nearest the stands - so forgive him his four-length seventh behind Ortensia. In reality, it was a pretty good performance from out wide.

Sole Power is a Group-quality sprinter - Group Two is his correct level - and he should have what it takes to win the Scarbrough Stakes under Johnny Murtagh, who has two seconds, one third and one sixth from his six rides of the Edward Lynam-trained gelding who is best over the minimum trip.

Kingsgate Native is an interesting declaration having won two Group One races in his younger days. The seven-year-old son of Mujadil has not won since May 2010 and not raced since this time last year, leaving Sir Michael Stoute`s stable and joining Robert Cowell`s yard in the interim.

It speaks volumes about the Scarbrough Stakes field that a seven-year-old without a run under his belt for 12 months shapes as the biggest threat to Sole Power. Most of the other entries either have been exposed as being not very good or are open to improvement but starting from a low base. The race really is there for Sole Power to win.

Looking ahead to the St Leger on Saturday and Camelot`s trainer, Aidan O`Brien, has expressed concern about his colt`s ability to stay the one-and-three-quarter-mile distance of the oldest of English horse racing`s five classics that dates all the way back to 1776.

O`Brien, who will become the first trainer to win all five English classics in the same calendar year if Camelot wins the Triple crown, is worried that his charge`s miler-like build will make his struggle to see out the full trip.

That is not what anyone who has backed Camelot at short odds wants to hear from the master of Ballydoyle ahead of the 2,000 Guineas and Derby winner`s attempt to become the first Triple crown champions since the great Nijinsky in 1970.

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13/09/2012     © Frixo 2024