Haydock Park, England // Sole Power was a shock loser in the Sprint Cup here on Saturday as the burgeoning partnership of trainer David O’Meara and Daniel Tudhope struck with G Force.
Following on from the defeat in Australia of Lankaan Rupee, the world's best sprinter, in the McEwen Stakes, the headline act in Europe had nothing to give in the final 200 metres as G Force went past Irish raider Gordon Lord Byron to win by three-quarters of a length in one minute, 12.95 seconds.
Music Master, who was fourth in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, was a length and a half ahead of Sole Power, who was ridden by Richard Hughes.
Edward Lynam, Sole Power’s trainer, was philosophical in defeat. His plan remains to run in the Prix l’Abbaye de Longchamp in Paris next month, before an eighth attempt to win for the first time over 1,200 metres takes place in Hong Kong in December.
The ultimate aim is a return to Meydan to contest a fifth Al Quoz Sprint.
“Richard blamed the ground, which would have been called yielding in Ireland,” Lynam said. “He has run a great race and we will continue to clock up the air miles.
“In Hong Kong, they will run that in 0.1.08 and the ground will be quicker. I never said he was better over six furlongs [1,200 metres], but there is a good prize in him over six furlongs.”
G Force is unlikely to renew the rivalry with Sole Power in Paris, and syndicate owner Nick Bradley said he was more likely to supplement his charge to Ascot for British Champions Day two weeks later.
Earlier in the day, Captain Cat won the Group 3 Superior Mile and could also head to Dubai this winter.
Captain Cat is a lightly raced five-year-old gelding trained by Roger Charlton, who sent Cityscape to Dubai in 2012 to win the Dubai Duty Free at Meydan Racecourse after that horse won the Superior Mile.
Charlton may well have to book his flight to the UAE in March for the new US$6 million (Dh22m) purse to the 1,800-metre turf race as owner Barry Hurley nominated the Dubai Duty Free as a realistic target next season following a run in the Group 2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket at the end of the month.
Today’s action is centred around Sea The Moon’s preparation for next month’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The German Derby winner lines up as the heavy favourite for the Grosser Preis Von Baden at Baden Baden Racecourse.
Sea The Moon, trained by Markus Klug, will be ridden by Cristian Demuro in the 2,400-metre Group 1 in the absence of Christophe Soumillon, who is required to ride for the Aga Khan in France.
The son of former Arc winner Sea The Stars has not raced since the first weekend of July, when he was an 11-length winner in Germany’s premier race, but Klug has few concerns over his charge’s fitness.
“He is not quite 100 per cent, but we want him to be 100 per cent in October, not now,” he said. “I am happy with him, and we are hoping for the best.”
sports@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter at @SprtNationalUAE

