Popular sprinter Sole Power (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) has been retired from racing at age 10. The gelding will spend his retirement at Horse Park Stud in Ashford, County Wicklow.
“He was a great horse, but time waits for no man and he's been retired,” said trainer Eddie Lynam. “He's been a wonderful horse and he's going out on his own terms, as he's totally sound. His form up to 2015 had been at a very high level, but his form has dipped in recent years as, like all of us, he's got slower as he's got older.”
Campaigned by Sabena Power, Sole Power first gained acclaim when besting the world champion sprinter Starspangledbanner (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) in the G1 Nunthorpe S. at 100-1 as a 3-year-old in 2010. He won the G2 Temple S. the following year and was just touched off when a head third in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye. Sole Power was placed in Meydan's G1 Al Quoz Sprint and Royal Ascot's G1 King's Stand S. at five, and earned his second Group 1 score the following year at six when taking out the King's Stand. He posted two more Group 1 placings before that season was out–in the Nunthorpe and Sha Tin's G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint when second behind the Japanese Horse of the Year Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}).
Sole Power proved better than ever the following year at seven, defending his King's Stand title and winning the Nunthorpe once again. After a handful of agonizing close finishes, Sole Power at last got off the mark at the highest level in Dubai in 2015, winning the G1 Al Quoz Sprint over Hong Kong sprint star Peniaphobia (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}). The dark bay went winless in eight tries last year but nonetheless acquitted himself well running in Dubai, England and Ireland. Sole Power made three starts at this year's Dubai World Cup Carnival and was last seen finishing sixth in the G3 Meydan Sprint on Feb. 16. Sole Power won 12 of 65 starts and earned more than £2-million.
“I've never trained a more genuine, happier and sounder horse than Sole Power,” Lynam said. “I've been training since I was 21 and I'm 55 now. I was a nobody until he came around and he's taken me to places I never felt were possible to go to.”
Lynam said Sole Power would spend a few months winding down at his yard before departing for his retirement home.
“Putting him on the horsebox that one last time, that will be the saddest day,” the trainer said.
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