Requinto sole juvenile in Nunthorpe The David Wachman-trained Requinto is the sole juvenile in the line-up for the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday. He has shown lightning speed to score on his latest two appearances but even with just 8st 1lb on his back, Wachman admits he faces a difficult task in the Group One. "He's fine and I'm not too worried about the ground," said the trainer. "He's won on a slower surface and seems to be pretty adaptable. "He obviously gets the weight from the older horses and two-year-olds have won this before, although it takes a good one to win it." Eddie Lynam's Sole Power was a 100-1 winner of the race 12 months ago, but will be a fraction of that price this time around having proved it was no fluke with victory in Haydock's Temple Stakes earlier this season. The four-year-old was well beaten in a Tipperary Listed race on his latest start but as he had a similar result in the same race last year, Lynam is not overly concerned. He said: "We weren't too disappointed with him in Tipperary. He probably ran up to a rating of 106 to 107 which is about 10lb off his best. "He doesn't really like it there as he has proved in the past. If you look back to his Newmarket run in the Palace House, that wasn't a hectic run but a couple of weeks later he won the Temple Stakes. "I'm very happy with him and it looks a very good race, but we're looking forward to going." Kieren Fallon believes Hoof It is "something special" as he bids to make the step up from top drawer handicapper to Group One-winning sprinter. Trained not too far away from the Knavesmire by genial farmer Mick Easterby in Sheriff Hutton, the four-year-old has made giant strides during his relatively short career, notably striking three times at York. Adding further colour to the gelding's story is the fact that he is part-owned by golfing pro Lee Westwood and his agent Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler. Connections stumped up the supplementary fee to add him to Friday's race following a devastating performance off top-weight in the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood and his jockey is in no doubt he is ready for the step up. Fallon said: "He has got a great turn of foot - great speed. The only problem I've had in the last three or four races that I've won on him was trying to find something to give us a lead. "I couldn't believe how much improvement that there was from York to Goodwood. "The only blip in his copybook was that race at Royal Ascot when he wasn't himself. He was lifeless that day for some reason." Hoof It has to give weight to the fillies in the race and almost two stone to Molecomb Stakes-winning juvenile Requinto. Two-year-olds have been successful in this five-furlong speed test in the past and Fallon acknowledges that for most horses such a hefty concession of weight would be a difficult task. But in Fallon's view , Hoof It is not like most horses. "It is a lot of weight to have to give for most sprinters, but the thing about Hoof It is he is so big, strong and powerful it might not make a difference to him," the six-times champion jockey added. "I think he is exceptional. Most sprinters would struggle to give that type of weight away but he gives me the feel of something special."
