Horse racing: Sole Power’s surge prompts victory run (From Gazette & Herald)

Horse racing: Sole Power’s surge prompts victory run

9:56am Thursday 13th September 2012 in Sport By Steve Carroll, Sports reporter

IRISH raider Sole Power produced a spectacular burst of speed to win the Scarbrough Stakes as the St Leger Festival got underway at Doncaster Racecourse.

Concerns that the ground had gone against Edward Lynam’s star proved unfounded as he showed his class in the Listed contest.

The 2010 Nunthorpe hero at York looked to have nowhere to go just over a furlong out, but jockey Johnny Murtagh steered a path.

Once Sole Power saw daylight the 5-2 favourite cut through the pack to win cosily from Jwala with Excelette third.

Lynam said: “I don’t think anyone could say he didn’t deserve that. Anyone who was brave enough to back a Group 1 horse in a Listed race at 11-4 has done very well.

“He came back from York (this year’s Nunthorpe) very buzzy for whatever reason. He got too much daylight that day and it didn’t do him any good.

“The horse has a very good turn of foot and all going well he will go for the Abbaye if the ground is right, and then on to Hong Kong as Johnny thinks he will be perfect to race over there.”

Meanwhile, in the Leger Legends race, Middleham jockey George Duffield lost out in a photo-finish.

The contest, which included saddle stars from days gone by including Julie Krone and Jamie Osborne saw Patriotic, ridden by Mick Kinane, pip Duffield’s Elijah Pepper by a nose in the one mile contest following a late charge.

Duffield, later fined £200 for excessive use of the whip in the final two furlongs, said: “I thought at one stage the winner was going to beat me fair and square and I was just riding for second.

“I kept him going just if cause he faltered which he did, but I caught after the line and not before. Mr Barron (David Barron, Maunby-based trainer) said ‘leave him alone early and just let him take you through the race’ and he finished well for me.”

The Press tipster Tom O’Ryan, riding Muftarres, finished eighth of the 16 runners with Norton trainer Ollie Pears 11th on The Ducking Stool.