Sole aims for home success

Sole Power has his first start in his native Ireland for nearly four years when he headlines the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.

The globetrotting eight-year-old has plied his trade in Britain, Dubai, Hong Kong and France since finishing second to Henry Candy's Amour Propre in the Flying Five Stakes at this track in August 2011.

Last seen winning the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night, a number of factors have led connections of the Eddie Lynam-trained gelding to stay at home rather than travel to Haydock for the Temple Stakes on the same afternoon.

Paddy Power, son of owners Sabena and David Power, said: " One of the main reasons we decided to stay at home was that Richard Hughes was available and everyone knows how well he gets on with him.

" It will be nice for him to finally run at home - it's been a long time. It remains to be seen if he actually knows he's going for a race without having to get on a boat or a plane, though.

" He's not a reality TV star or anything, but he does have a following and for the people of Ireland to get the chance to see him will be nice, it seems like a lot has happened since he last ran at home.

" It's six furlongs and while I'm the most optimistic man alive, I have always said there is nothing to stop him winning over six - I'm sure he stays, the races have just never been run to suit him.

" As long as he gets a fast-run pace to run at, that's the main thing. It will be another heart-in-mouth ride, that's for sure.

" He's got the (Group One) penalty but that isn't too much of a worry, he's earned it in fairness."

Leading the opposition is another well-travelled gelding in the shape of Gordon Lord Byron.

The three-time Group One winner is versatile when it comes to trip and had his last start over seven furlongs at Sha Tin in March.

He won the Champions Sprint at Ascot in October and before that was just denied in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on Arc day.

Trainer Tom Hogan said: " We did have him entered to run over a mile a couple of weeks ago, but the ground was testing and that would just test his stamina.

" He proved on Irish Champions Weekend that he can stay it (a mile) on a flattish track and of course he won over nearly a mile in Australia.

" While he's still able to mix it with the best sprinters, there's no real need to stretch him.

"His run in Hong Kong in December was very good, he was just over a length behind Aerovelocity, and that form keeps getting franked."

Adding further well-known flavour to the Group Two affair is 2013 Prix de l'Abbaye hero Maarek.

The eight-year-old, who enjoys some cut in the ground, ran with credit when fourth to Mecca's Angel at Longchamp earlier this month.

His trainer Evanna McCutcheon said: "He showed in France last time that he's as good as ever, he fairly flew home.

"He just got taken off his feet a bit, but rattled home.

"Over five he just needs a bit of dig in the ground, but when he runs over six he doesn't want it very soft."

The British raiders have fared very well in this race down the years but the sole representative this year is Kevin Ryan's Astaire.

"He ran great in the Duke of York last year but I just felt after that we never had him in the same sort of form, never really cherry-ripe," Ryan told At The Races.

"He's come back in this year and looks a different horse, he came very early in his coat.

"He ran great at York last week. At the point he could have maybe taken two lengths out of his field, Jamie (Spencer) took a pull as he was going so well, but he likes to put the race to bed at that point."

The home defence further bolstered by Dermot Weld's Mustajeeb.

He won the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot last season and returns to six furlongs for the first time since his two-year-old debut.

Speaking in a stable tour for At The Races at the start of the campaign, Weld said: "He's done awfully well over winter and looks magnificent. I'm going to look at dropping him back in trip, as I thought he showed a lot of pace in his run at the Breeders' Cup."

An Saighdiur, Jamesie, Majestic Queen and Flight Risk make up the nine-runner field.