Possible Melbourne Cup Contender for Power

Tara Madgwick - Monday August 23

Oaklands Stud based Power (GB) has had a benchmark year with two Group I winners in Europe in Laws of Indices and Helvic Dream, but showed his versatility over the weekend when his four year-old gelding  Sonnyboyliston staked a Melbourne Cup claim winning the prestigious £500,000 Ebor Handicap (1m6f) at York.

Trained by Johnny Murtagh and ridden by Ben Coen, Sonnyboyliston has been in great form this year proving competitive in Group III events and winning a Listed race at Limerick.

Sonnyboyliston was strong to the line winning by a head and taking his overall record to five wins and three placings from 13 starts.
 


“The last time Sonnyboyliston ran here he ran very well. They went slow and he got outpaced but I loved the way he came home. Ronan Whelan said he would come on for the run, which gave us great confidence,” said Johnny Murtagh.

“The Melbourne Cup had been the next plan but I have him in the Irish St Leger and we'll have to seriously think about that first.”

Bought for 26,000 euros by his trainer from the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, Sonnyboyliston has certainly proven a great investment for his owners the Kildare Racing Club.



Sonnyboyliston is the first winner from tough staying winner Miss Macnamara, a half-sister by Dylan Thomas to Group III winner Karamela and stakes-winner Gemstone.

A brilliant sprinter miler by Oasis Dream, Power is a versatile sire that has left 21 stakes-winners worldwide and is exceptional value at Oaklands Stud this spring at a fee of $13,200.

Power is a Premium stallion, click for more information.


 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Well Bred Zousain Debut Winner
A full sister to Zousain’s Group III winning filly Drifting, Cheeky Contiki made a winning debut at Pakenham on Monday for the Lindsay Park Racing team.
Sires With Winners - Monday August 25
Here is the full list of 12 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Top Filly Beats Top Colt in G1 Prix Morny
The Group I Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville overnight produced a mightly clash between unbeaten Starspangled banner colt Gstaad and unbeaten filly Venetian Sun with the filly prevailing, although Starspangledbanner got some consolation with a new G3 winning 2YO at Goodwood.
Narrow Miss for Hellbent Gelding in G2 Foxbridge
Lhasa proved he is more than a synthetic track specialist when he nearly caused an upset when finishing runner-up in Saturday’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Sires With Winners - Sunday August 24
Here is the full list of 67 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Merchant Navy 3YO Primed for Spring Stakes Campaign
Cody Cole is happy to play a waiting game with Landlock before confirming the three-year-old’s main goals for the season.
Spring Plans for El Vencedor
New Zealand’s top-rated performer El Vencedor will contest all three legs of the spring Triple Crown series.
Spring Trial Watch – Hawkesbury
There was an interesting set of trials at Hawkesbury on Monday that featured heat winners including Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, Randwick Guineas winner Linebacker as well as the Waterhouse Bott stable Cups contenders Sir Delius (GB) and Vauban (FR), plus we may have seen an Everest horse.
First Southern Hemisphere foals for Paddington
A four-time Group I winner by champion French sire Siyouni, European superstar, PADDINGTON, has had his first Southern Hemisphere foals arrive on the ground at Windsor Park.
Was it that Unusual? Who is the Oldest?
There was a lot of attention in the media regarding the age of Australian Horse of the Year elect Via Sistina (IRE) when she returned to racing for a new campaign at Randwick last Saturday, but was it really that uncommon to see an eight year-old G1 winner?