Sole Power downs Shea Shea to win the King’s Stand

Sole Power, under a great ride from Johnny Murtagh, shows his electric pace in the King’s Stand Stakes. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

Sole Power, trained in Ireland by Eddie Lynam, put up a scintillating performance to win the King’s Stand Stakes, coming from the back of the field and making up a tremendous amount of ground inside the final furlong to get past South African raider Shea Shea in the shadow of the winning post.

Last time out Sole Power saw daylight too early and failed to run his race in the Betfred Temple Stakes, race one in the Sprint division of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

He was ridden on that occasion for the first time by Fran Berry.

Reunited with regular jockey Johnny Murtagh, he produced a devastating turn of foot to cut down Shea Shea who looked sure to win when he hit the front just inside the final furlong, racing on the opposite side of the track.

Sole Power had finished a close third in this race last year on ground that was softer than he prefers, but on today’s much quicker surface he looked a sprinter of the highest quality.

Shea Shea ran a fine race to be beaten just a neck in second, while the lightly raced Pearl Secret showed that he is a horse of great potential, finishing third on ground that would have been plenty quick enough for him.

The well-backed Reckless Abandon was in front at halfway but could not sustain it and finished an honourable fifth. 

Murtagh, for whom this was a 40th Royal Ascot winner, said: "Forty winners at Royal Ascot, I’m really proud of it.

"As a jockey this is where you want to be performing.

"It makes the Mondays and the Fridays a lot easier when you come to a meeting like this and ride great horses for good people.

"I’vejust been one of the lucky ones.

"Eddie told me to ride him like I normally ride him and to ride him like I owned him.

"He’s got a great turn of foot if you can just conserve his energy.

"He’s very willing and if he gets going too early he runs out of steam. You’ve got to time it to the best.

"I didn’t see Shea Shea but I knew I’d hit the line well."