Sole Power repeats in King's Stand; The Wow Signal, Hootenanny post smart wins

Sole Power repeats in King's Stand; The Wow Signal,

Hootenanny post smart wins

Sole Power captured the Group 1 King's Stand at Royal Ascot for the second

straight year on Tuesday and the top-notch sprinter is back in peak form for

trainer Edward Lynham.

After annexing last year's event, the seven-year-old gelding had failed to

get his nose in front until taking Newmarket's Group 3 Palace House last month.

Adopting his customary waiting tactics in rear after coming under immediate

restraint at the break, the 5-1 chance oozed class when cruising into contention

approaching the final furlong on Tuesday, and put the race to bed in a matter of

strides when quickening in explosive style in the closing stages to provide

Richard Hughes with an early Royal double.

After scoring by a neck 12 months ago, the seven-year-old gelding drew away

late to repeat by 1 1/4 lengths over 50-1 outsider Stepper Point, with 3-1

favorite Hot Streak another neck back in third.

"This horse is made for me, but things didn't go that well as I had to pull

out to the outside, which you wouldn't normally do," said Hughes, who was riding

Sole Power for the first time. "I had that much horse under me I'd have gone

around them anywhere. He was the best horse, it's as simple as that."

Completing the order of finish were Medicean Man, Ahtoug, Steps, Jack Dexter,

Take Cover, Es Que Love, Pearl Secret, Shea Shea, Green Door, Justice Day, Ancil,

Rex Imperator and Guerre. Caledonia Lady was withdrawn.

Following his narrow win over Shea Shea in last year's King's Stand, Sole

Power recorded a fifth in the Group 1 July Cup. He proceeded to finish a close

third in the Group 1 Nunthorpe at York and after a sixth in the Group 1 Prix de

l'Abbaye at Longchamp, he closed an exhausting 2013 campaign with a runner-up

finish in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin December 8. 

Sole Power opened this year with a fourth in the Group 3 Meydan Sprint on

March 8 and a seventh in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai. He returned to the

winner's circle in the aforementioned Palace House on May 3, scoring by a

half-length.

His only moment of concern Tuesday came when faced with a wall of rivals when

cruising into contention inside the final quarter-mile, but he flew once finding

clear runway to win with plenty to spare.

Sole Power's former regular partner and ex-jockey Johnny Murtagh explained,

"I told Richard (Hughes) this horse was made for him. He just had to sit on him

and get him relaxed, as he has a great turn of foot. I'm delighted for Hughsie

and I'm delighted for Eddie Lynam."

Winning owner David Power added, "He's an amazing horse, the horse of a

lifetime."

As for the immediate future, Lynam said, "This horse has been lucky because

he's never had a well-known trainer, but he's always had a top-class jockey.

That was his 17th run in a Group 1 and he'll have his 18th on Saturday (in the

Group 1 Diamond Jubilee)."

Trainer William Muir nearly pulled off a massive upset with Stepper Point but

was not downbeat, despite the winner's late burst.

"I thought he was going to be my second Royal Ascot winner, but then I

thought, where's Sole Power?' Because he beats me every time," Muir said. "We've

been beaten three times by him, but we ran against Hot Streak and were a head

behind him in the Palace House, so I was quite surprised he was 3-1 and we were

50-1. I don't worry about that any more."

On a day that even the most generous of the racing gods couldn't have

engineered, Al Shaqab Racing's The Wow Signal provided the operation with two

Royal wins in as many races in the Group 2 Coventry.

Toronado also produced a stirring victory for the owners earlier on the

program in the Group 1 Queen Anne.

So impressive when spreadeagling smart opposition on his sole start at Ayr

May 21, The Wow Signal transferred that flashiness into real substance with an

authoritative score as the 5-1 joint-favorite. Always prominent, he gained the

edge passing halfway and gradually ground his rivals into submission to score by

1 3/4 lengths from Cappella Sansevero. For Frankie Dettori, a first Coventry

success was a welcome return to the winner's spot at his favorite track and

meeting.

"It feels great -- the last winner I rode here was two years ago in the Gold

Cup," Dettori said. "I was worried about the ground being too quick, but he

showed tremendous courage. He's a really good two-year-old."

Jungle Cat finished a neck behind Cappella Sanservo in third and was followed

under the finish line by Justice Good, Kodi Bear, Angelic Lord, Dr No, Adaay,

War Envoy, Bossy Guest, Cock of the North, Kool Kompany, Kasb and Portamento.

Case Statement was pulled up, and Prophesize scratched.

The Wow Signal is one of a handful of offspring from freshman sire

Starspangledbanners to have run so far. North Yorkshire-based trainer John Quinn

introduced The Wow Signal at Ayr and he appeared the best yet of the former

Coolmore star's small crop. His ruthless display of galloping on good-to-soft

ground was given further credence by the subsequent wins of Doc Charm and Jungle

Cat, who were

nine and 11 lengths behind, respectively, in his debut.

Using the same powerful stride to race towards the front, where only Justice

Good was able to give him a lead, The Wow Signal was tracked closely by Jungle

Cat, who had allowed him too much rope on debut. While two of the chief market

protagonists Kool Kompany and War Envoy were attempting to pick up from rear,

The Wow Signal just kept grinding up ahead and was beyond reach as Cappella

Sansevero closed in the Qatar Racing silks to provide a quick return on the 1.3

million laid out by Sheikh Hamad to top the inaugural Goffs London sale the day

before.

For John Quinn, whose only previous Royal Ascot winner came courtesy of the

handicapper Pevensey in the 2007 Duke of Edinburgh H., it was a moment to savor.

"My son Sean went to the breeze-up and Eddie O'Leary told him to get me to

try and buy him, so we did and he won his maiden and then lots of people rang to

try and buy him and take him out of the yard," Quinn explained. "(Al Shaqab

Racing Manager) Harry Herbert was the one man who said, 'I'll buy him and leave

him with you,' and I'm very grateful for that. He's a great galloper and I felt

he'd win a maiden anywhere before Ayr.

"We felt six here would suit him, as you've got to stay here, but it's a

minimum for him. He'll get seven and a mile standing on his head. He's a great

eater with a very good mind and body who doesn't worry. We were worried about

the ground, but the last two times we worked him on faster ground he worked even

better. It's great to have a colt like him."

Wesley Ward is making a habit of his raids from America on Royal Ascot's

two-year-old prizes and enjoyed a fourth success at the meeting with Hootenanny,

who drew clear to win by 3 1/2 lengths in the five-furlong Windsor Castle on

Tuesday.

Hootenanny, already a winner at Keeneland in America, put his rivals to rout

in the final furlong under Victor Espinoza, having his first ride in Britain.

Ward, who has five more intended runners at Royal Ascot 2014, said: "He has

won well and hopefully he has a good future. We will see what happens. One thing

we found out from his last race was that he does not like racing on dirt. I knew

that going into the race and ran him against my better judgement. He was

vindicated today. Paul Shanahan and Coolmore have believed in me when I was

nothing and they have stuck by me all this time. I am so happy for them. I would

also like to thank Arlington Park who were extremely gracious to allow these

two-year-olds to breeze on the turf and went out of their way to be helpful."

Hootenanny is from the first crop of sire Quality Road.

"Hootenanny is scheduled to go back (to America) on Monday. But I am bringing

a horse over (to challenge for the Group 1 July Cup in July) -- Undrafted -- a

very good sprinter who just won on Belmont Stakes Day and I will see how these

two-year-olds come out of their races and make a decision whether to stay longer

with any of them.

"I have five more this week. There are some better ones coming but the races

get tougher (to win). It looks easy (winning at Royal Ascot) but really it is a

lot of work. This the cream of all of them coming over here. When I first came,

it was a bit of an unknown but now I know the races, the conditions and Royal

Ascot. Hopefully, I can bring older horses too in the future and some of my

counterparts in America will come and see the magnitude of the meeting. To me,

Royal Ascot is bigger and better than the Breeders' Cup.

Hootenanny won his career bow by 4 1/4 length over Keeneland's Polytrack on

April 17 and was exiting a third in the May 16 Rollicking By on Pimlico's dirt

track.

"Hootenanny is a very nice colt and was very professional. He did not get

hot, he did not get nervous and took it all in his stride. He stood like a

statue in the gate."

Espinoza, rider of Kentucky Derby and Preakness hero California Chrome,

continued his rich vein of form by gaining his first Royal Ascot winner in his

first ride at the track.

"He is pretty quick out of the gate and I was trying to slow him down for the

end because it is my first ride over here and I didn't want to burn him out

early," the jockey said. "I was happy in the middle and got out well. It's an

awesome feeling, my first time and it's a winner. I just wanted to keep him

straight and out in front."

Espinoza enjoyed the experience.

"Ascot was fun. Ascot is slightly different for me as it was in a straight

line but it was a good experience and after a win, it looks easy. I've had a

tremendous year and hopefully it can continue for me."

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