The Force Returns

With Sole Power (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) staying at home, Saturday’s G2 Temple S. at Haydock has opened up for the likes of G Force (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) to capitalize. Although he was disappointing when last of 15 in Ascot’s G2 British Champions Sprint S. in October, Middleham Park Racing’s 4-year-old had looked a natural throughout the campaign and plundered the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup in decisive fashion. Saddled with a four-pound penalty as a result, he may also have to contend with the absence of regular rider Daniel Tudhope who was kicked in the stomach by a horse on Friday. “He’s got a penalty, but I just thought it would be a nice place to start him off,” trainer David O’Meara told PA Sport. “The rain that has fallen will certainly do him no harm. After this it will be Ascot, but whether that is for the King’s Stand or the Diamond Jubilee, we’ll decide after this.” 

Godolphin rely on Pretend (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who is unproven on turf but highly talented on Polytrack, as he showed when winning Lingfield’s Listed Hever Sprint S. over this trip May 14 and the six-furlong All-Weather Sprint Championships Conditions S. Apr. 3. Trainer Charlie Appleby is watching the skies ahead of his keenly anticipated return to grass. “Pretend has had a nice break since his latest start and I have been delighted with his preparation,” he said. “The one thing I am concerned about is the ground. We have declared him on good-to-soft and I am hoping that it dries out a bit–if there is any more rain then it is highly unlikely that he will run. He is in good place at the moment and I want him to have a good experience ahead of the G1 King’s Stand S. [at Royal Ascot June 16]. I think that running him on the wrong ground wouldn’t be the best preparation for Royal Ascot.” 

Trainer Robert Cowell often has a leading sprinter to play with, and the May 2 G3 Palace House S. winner Goldream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) fits the bill. “By definition this is a Group 2, not a Group 3, so he has to step up in grade essentially, but he won the Palace House quite convincingly and he arrives at Haydock in excellent condition,” Cowell told PA Sport. “I’ve been really delighted with his preparation. He was working really well before the Palace House and he has probably come on a notch as well. He’s a lot tighter and his work has been absolutely brilliant.”