Lynam has one-two punch in July Cup with Sole Power, Slade Power

Lynam has one-two punch in July Cup with Sole Power, Slade

Power

Rarely has such a small stable enjoyed such a stranglehold on a

division as Eddie Lynam's does on the sprinting category at present and

if conditions are deemed dry enough at Newmarket's rain-hit July Course

he will have a formidable dual challenge in the meeting's feature Group 1,

£510,000 July Cup on Saturday.

Doubts surround the participation of King's Stand Stakes hero Sole Power, who ideally

needs it quicker, but even if he is taken out there is still the

considerable presence of his barnmate Slade Power. The latter followed a win in

the British Champions Sprint Stakes in

October with a notable Ascot double in the Royal meeting's Diamond Jubilee Stakes last

out on June 21 and, unlike Sole Power, handles

this easier ground.

"The ground is not as bad as we expected," Lynam

told the PA Sport on Friday. "I've spoken to Richard Hughes, who rode

there on Friday, and he said it not as bad as he thought it would be, so

if there's no more rain we'll be running I expect. We certainly won't be

taking him out before Friday night and as the horse is over there and in

good form he'll probably run.

"They have both had an A1 preparation for

this race, although I have done nothing major with them since Royal

Ascot. Slade Power has done nothing but improve throughout his career and

we are hopeful that he still has a bit more improvement left in him. The

Diamond Jubilee was a good result for him but I think he might have been

idling a bit in front, his jockey (Wayne Lordan) certainly thinks that he

was.

"The last time that Sole Power ran in a Group 1 race over six

furlongs he was second to the best sprinter in the world in Hong Kong

last December with Slade Power behind him."

Second and third, respectively, in the Diamond Jubilee, Due Diligence and Aljamaaheer re-oppose on ground

which may compromise them. The latter's trainer, Roger Varian, is hoping

that the Shadwell representative can continue to hone his sprinting

prowess on what will be only his third run in the division.

"Aljamaaheer

is in great form," he said. "His work since Ascot has been solid and this

has been the plan since. He only has to improve one or two pounds again

to have a winning chance. We would have preferred quicker ground and any

drying out between now and then would help."

Highly-regarded sophomore Hot Streak captured the May 24

Temple Stakes at Haydock before finishing third in the King's Stand,

and this easing of the surface is what he needs.

Noozhoh Canarias is one of the most intriguing contenders in the line-up,

having dominated Spain's racing scene and transferred that class to the

better contests of France and England. Runner-up in Longchamp's Prix

Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day, he was sixth in the May 3 Two Thousand Guineas

at Newmarket when giving the impression the mile stretched his stamina

beyond its limits.

"He had a gallop on Tuesday which sharpened him up and

woke him up a bit and now he's really ready to go," trainer Enrique Leon

told PA Sport. "He's a good traveler, he has been here for the best part

of a week now and has taken everything very well. He won't necessarily

make the running, he just needs to use his pace as he has a very long

stride. If anyone wants to go faster than him then we will be happy to

sit in behind.

"I think the Guineas form is very strong, as he had many

Group 1 horses behind him, and if he reproduces that run I will be

happy and he should go close."

Gregorian comes into this on the back of a win in the

seven-furlong Criterion Stakes on Newmarket's soft surface June 28 and needs

that ground as he tries six furlongs for the first time.

Two races before the July Cup, the Group 2 Superlative Stakes boasts alumni which includes the

likes of Dr Devious, Dubawi and Olympic Glory, and Saturday's field offers hope that something approaching that trio

could step into the limelight.

Featuring prominently is the Ballydoyle

raider Gleneagles, who was off the mark over the seven-furlong

trip in the June 29 Curragh maiden which so many of the stable's

luminaries have taken in en route to future glories. One of them, the ill-fated

Horatio Nelson, captured this race and

Gleneagles' dam, You'resothrilling, annexed the 2007 Cherry

Hinton Stakes at this meeting.

Estidhkaar ran into a smart rival in Portamento in his May 22 debut going six furlongs at Goodwood, but showed the benefit of that

experience when beating the subsequent winner and highly-regarded

Mustadeem over the Superlative trip at Newbury on June 12.

"We are

very keen on Estidhkaar," trainer Richard Hannon said. "He is a

half-brother to Toormore and, having shown plenty of promise first time

out at Goodwood, duly delivered in style at Newbury. The second and

fourth have both won since and it looked a very good maiden, so we think

he is ready for this step up in class. We also run Smaih, who broke his maiden easily at Chepstow having run a stormer on

his debut at Windsor and, while he will need to improve to be a player,

he is going the right way."

Home opposition is headed by the unbeaten

Lieutenant Kaffee, who proved he handles rain-softened

ground in a conditions event at Haydock nine days ago.

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