He’s Got the Power

English raider Slade Power (Ire) (Dutch Art {GB}) adds a great deal of intrigue to Saturday (Australian time)’s G1 Darley Classic, as he attempts to win the race named for the farm to which he will retire to stud when his racing days are over. 

But first things first. 

A winner of 10 of his 19 career starts, the 5-year-old was not successful in his first overseas journey last December, finishing 10th in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint, but he has been in outstanding form in a well-orchestrated 2014 season. The bay overcame heavy ground on his return in the G3 Greenlands S. at the Curragh May 24 and parlayed a two-length score there into a 1 1/2-length defeat of TDN Rising Star Due Diligence (War Front) in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot June 21. He has been rested since a solid victory in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket, also sponsored by Darley, and he’ll look to pick up where he left off up the Flemington straight. Stewards, who at first resisted in granting perrmission for Slade Power to load the stalls last, finally relented just ahead of draw day, and Slade Power takes his chance. 

The task at hand will not be an easy one.

Lankan Rupee (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}), the world’s top-rated sprinter, dropped his first two starts of this prep, including a narrow defeat at the hands of Buffering (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}) in the G1 Moir S. at Moonee Valley Sept. 26, but relegated that rival to seventh when last seen in the G1 Manikato S. on Cox Plate eve Oct. 24, a race in which the top eight horses were covered by about one length. Famous Seamus (NZ) (Elusive City) was third in that wild finish and will look to return to winning ways, having annexed the G2 Premiere S. at Randwick Oct. 4.