Power-packed finish to first sprint race

Keagan Latham gives the thumbs up as he returns to the winner’s enclosure on Sole Power.  Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

Irish raider Sole Power won the first sprint race of the QIPCO British Champions Series, the betfred.com Temple Stakes at Haydock Park this afternoon, in impressive style. 

He beat the winner of the race last year, Kingsgate Native, by a comfortable three-quarters of a length after showing fine acceleration to lead inside the final furlong.

The winning time of 57.67secs was only half a second slower than the track record set by Fleeting Spirit in the same race three years ago, and that despite a blustery headwind this afternoon which made Sole Power’s performance all the more commendable.

Prohibit and Borderlescott were third and fourth, but the Hungarian sprinting sensation, Overdose, disappointed in seventh.

"He didn’t want to let himself down on the fast ground – it’s clear that he needs softer ground these days," said Overdose’s jockey, German ace Andreas Suborics. 

Winning trainer, Edward Lynam, has nominated the second race in the QIPCO British Champions Series sprint division, the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday 14 June, as Sole Power’s next race, with a trip to York for the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday 19 August the main target later on. 

The Coolmore Nunthorpe was the race that Sole Power won last year at the remarkable odds of 100-1, announcing his entry on to the sprinting scene in no uncertain terms!

“He’ll go to the posh place for the King’s Stand, but the race we want to win again is the Nunthorpe,” said Lynam.  To hear a full interview with the winning trainer courtesy of Racing UK Radio, click here.

The Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes is the fifth sprint in the series.  Between it and the King’s Stand, both of which are run over five furlongs like today’s race, come two of the major six furlong sprints, the Golden Jubilee Stakes (Royal Ascot, Saturday 18 June) and the Darley July Cup (Newmarket, Saturday 9 July). 

The Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes is followed by the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock Park on Saturday 3 September before the grand finale to the QIPCO British Champions Series at Ascot on Saturday 15 October, QIPCO British Champions Day.  The £250,000 QIPCO British Champions Sprint over six furlongs is the final race in sprint category on Britain’s richest ever raceday.

The next 3 QIPCO British Champions Series races:

Investec Coronation Cup, Epsom, Friday 3 June (MIDDLE DISTANCE)

Investec Oaks, Epsom, Friday 3 June (FILLIES & MARES)

Investec Derby, Epsom, Saturday 4 June (MIDDLE DISTANCE)

QIPCO British Champions Series races to date:

QIPCO 2000 Guineas, Newmarket, Saturday 30 April (MILE)  winner: Frankel

QIPCO 1000 Guineas, Newmarket, Sunday 1 May (FILLIES & MARES)  winner: Blue Bunting

Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup, York, Friday 13 May (LONG DISTANCE)  winner: Duncan

JLT Lockinge Stakes, Newbury, Saturday 14 May (MILE)  winner: Canford Cliffs

betfred.com Temple Stakes, Haydock Park, Saturday 21 May (SPRINT)  winner: Sole Power