RACING:EDDIE LYNAM'S stable star Sole Power is set to try to bring his 2011 campaign to a lucrative Group One conclusion in Hong Kong in December. Invitations to the famous international festival in Hong Kong will be issued towards the end of this month and the Lynam team are hopeful of receiving one for the six-furlong sprint which will be worth over €1.3 million on December 11th.
Last year’s shock Nunthorpe winner overcame an interrupted preparation and a less than trouble-free passage to finish third in the Prix de l’Abbaye on Arc day at Longchamp 17 days ago.
Sole Power’s best form has all come at five furlongs but Lynam is keen try the four-year-old over six furlongs in Hong Kong where the field will race around a bend.
“You never like to take anything for granted in this game but he is rated 117 so we’re hopeful we’ll get an invite and if we do, that will be the plan,” said Lynam. “He got an invite last year but he didn’t go. We would like to this time.”
Sole Power had a bad fall in his box at Longchamp two days before the Abbaye and had to be walked for hours over that weekend to keep any swelling down, which was hardly an ideal run-in to that Group One event. He’s fine now and has put back on all the weight he lost. He’s very fresh and well again,” Lynam added.
The run-in to the turf season in Ireland will see some of Sole Power’s two-year-old stable companions attempt to step up to black type company.
Quote Of The Day, a seven-length winner of a maiden at Navan earlier in the month, is being targeted at the Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown over nine furlongs while last Friday night’s Dundalk winner Seventh Avenue could take on Born To Sea in the Killavullan Stakes.
Seventh Avenue defied 33 to 1 odds on his debut to score and Lynam said: “We think a lot of him and we’ll go for the Killavullan.”
Quote Of The Day’s form will provide a pointer to the winner of today’s mile auction maiden at Navan. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth all clash again and while Don Long did best over the same course and distance two weeks ago, significant improvement can be expected from the Dylan Thomas colt, Tower Rock.
Aidan O’Brien can also supply the winner of the other mile maiden with Thomasgainsborough who started favourite on his Tipperary debut but finished fifth after running green. That experience may be crucial now.
Charles O’Brien was out of luck with Bewitched and Laughing at Woodbine at the weekend but Jedward can make the most of her return to the course and distance where she won her maiden last year in the apprentice handicap. O’Brien and Johnny Murtagh can team up again to score with Tupelo Honey in the fillies handicap.
