Lochsong Wins Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1) In 1993

Bred and owned by Jeffrey C. Smith, in whose familiar purple and light blue colours she raced, Lochsong was one of the top sprinters in Europe in the early Nineties. Foaled on 26 April 1988, Lochsong was a daughter of Song, a noted sire of sprinters, and between August 1991, and November 1994, won 15 of her 27 races, including the Nunthorpe Stakes and two consecutive renewals of the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp. Her trademark fast-starting, front-running style earned her the nickname of ‘Queen of Speed’ and huge public acclaim. 

Lochsong arrived at Park House Stables in Kingsclere, near Newbury, Berkshire as a big, backward youngster, but was sent home by trainer Ian Balding, as a three-year-old, before she had even set foot on a racecourse. Thankfully, she thrived sufficiently to return to training and made her racecourse debut in a maiden stakes race, over 7 furlongs, at Salisbury, in August 1991. She finished second on that occasion, but she won her maiden, over 6 furlongs, at Redcar in October and followed up in an apprentices’ handicap, over 7 furlongs, at Newbury.

In April 1992, on her four-year-old debut, Lochsong was beaten 1¼ lengths in a lowly 0-80 handicap, over 6 furlongs, at Pontefract, off a handicap mark of 72. However, as she reached physical and mental maturity, later that year she won the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood, the Portland Handicap at Doncaster and the Ayr Gold Cup – the first time all three had been won by the same horse in the same season – before earning her first ‘black type’ by finishing second in the Diamed Stakes at Ascot on her final start of the season. 

On her five-year-old debut, in May 1993, she was beaten half a length by Paris House, trained by Jack Berry, in the Palace House Stakes, over 5 furlongs, at Newmarket and finished 3 lengths behind the same horse, when the favourite, in the Temple Stakes at Sandown two starts later. However, on 4lb better terms, Lochsong reversed the earlier form when the pair met again in the King George Stakes at Goodwood in July, beating Paris House by a head. 

Lochsong subsequently stepped up to Group One level for the first time in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, a race in which she met Paris House for the fourth time that year, but on 8lb worse terms compared with Goodwood. Favourite for the Nunthorpe Stakes, despite never having run, never mind won, over 5 furlongs, was College Chapel, trained by Vincent O’Brien and Lester Piggott, at 9/4, with Paris House sent off at 4/1 second favourite and Lochsong 10/1 sixth choice of the 11 runners. 

Ridden for the fourth time in her career by Lanfranco ‘Frankie’ Dettori, who’d won on her on her two previous starts, Lochsong made all the running, was always going well and quickened away in the closing stages to readily beat Paris House by 1½ lengths, with College Chapel a never-nearer third, a further three-quarters of a length away. On her final start of the season, in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp, Lochsong confirmed her status as virtually unbeatable over 5 furlongs, when on song, by again making all to win unchallenged by 6 lengths. In fact, that year she was named Cartier Horse of the Year, making her the only sprinter of the Nineties to receive that accolade.

Relates stories: Do You Remember Lyric Fantasy 1992

Kingsgate Native Wins Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1)

Foaled in Ireland on February 20, 2005, Kingsgate Native was sired by Mujadil, a prolific source of precocious, speedy types, out of Native Force, by high-class sprinter Indian Ridge. Owned by former bookmaker John Mayne and trained, initially, by John Best at Scragged Oak Farm in Hucking, near Maidstone, Kent, Kingsgate Native missed his intended racecourse debut twice, at Goodwood because of a passport irregularity and at York because of a waterlogged track, before connections decided to send him straight to the Windsor Castle Stakes, over 5 furlongs, at Royal Ascot. 

Ridden by George Baker, Kingsgate Native belied odds of 66/1 by finishing second of 20, beaten just a head, by Drawnfromthepast, trained by Jamie Osborne. Consequently, on his next start, in the Molecomb Stakes, also over 5 furlongs, at Goodwood the following month, he lined up as 4/1 second favourite behind 5/2 favourite, Starlit Sands, trained by Sir Mark Prescott, who’d been beaten just half a length in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot on her previous start. 

The field split and jockey George Baker, having initially headed for the far side, realised his mistake and belatedly switched to the stands’ side at halfway. Kingsgate Native disputed the lead inside the final furlong but, despite running on well in the closing stages, was held in the last 50 yards or so and beaten a neck by subsequent Cheveley Park Stakes runner-up Fleeting Spirit, trained by Jeremy Noseda. 

Despite still officially being a maiden, in August, Kingsgate Native was stepped up to Group One level in the Nunthorpe Stakes, again over 5 furlongs, at York. He was described by Timeform as a ‘strong, lengthy’ colt and was clearly precocious, so lacked nothing in terms of the size or maturity required to take on older horses at the early stage of his career. His connections were also, no doubt, tempted by the generous 24lb weight allowance offered to two-year-olds in the Nunthorpe Stakes. 

Carrying just 8st 1lb, and ridden for the first time by lightweight jockey Jimmy Quinn, Kingsgate Native was sent off 12/1 seventh choice of the 16 runners in the Nunthorpe Stakes behind 9/4 favourite Dandy Man. He took a keen hold in the early stages but, having chased the leaders, led in the centre of the course approaching the final furlong and, despite edging left in the closing stages, kept on strongly to beat Desert Lord by 1¾ lengths. In so doing, Kingsgate Native caused a considerable upset and became the first two-year-old to win the Nunthorpe Stakes since Lyric Fantasy in 1992. 

Having beaten the older sprinters, at the highest level, on just his third start, Kingsgate Native proved his Nunthorpe Stakes win was no fluke by finishing second, after missing the break, to Benbaun in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp on the final start of his two-year-old season in October and by winning the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot the following June. He subsequently ran in the Nunthorpe Stakes another five times, in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013, but never won the race again. 

His best subsequent finish came in 2008, when he finished third, beaten 1½ lengths, behind Borderlescott in a rescheduled race run on the July Course at Newmarket. Indeed, in 2009, Kingsgate Native was bought by Cheveley Park Stud and retired from racing, but returned to training with Sir Michael Stoute after proving infertile. That year, he finished sixth, when favourite, behind Borderslescott again, in 2010 he finished sixth behind shock 100/1 winner Sole Power, in 2011 he finished fourth behind Margot Did and, in 2013, on his final attempt, when trained by Robert Cowell, he finished fifth behind lesser-fancied stable companion Jwala.

Related stories: Man Vs Horse (No contest) 

Mecca’s Angel Nunthorpe Stakes Winner

Foaled on February 11, 2011, Mecca’s Angel was a daughter of Dark Angel, a leading sire of sprinters, out of a mare by Atraf, another high-class sprinter, so was always destined to campaign over short distances. Indeed, between May 2013 and October 2016, Mecca’s Angel ran in a total of twenty races, all bar three of them over the minimum distance of 5 furlongs and the others over 5½ and 6 furlongs. All in all, she won ten times, including the Group Three World Trophy at Newbury, Group Three Prix de Saint-Georges at Longchamp, Group Two Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh and, most notably, successive renewals of the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes at York, in 2015 and 2016. All of her wins came over 5 furlongs and she amassed just shy of £680,000 in win and place prize money.

Owned by David “Mecca” Metcalfe and trained by Michael Dods in Denton, Co. Durham, Mecca’s Angel made a bright start to her career, winning her maiden at Hamilton in June, 2013, at the second time of asking, and following up, by 12 lengths, in a minor handicap on the Fibresand surface at Southwell just over two weeks later. Raised 17lb in the weights for her Southwell romp, she was subsequently beaten favourite, although second on both occasions, in the Julia Graves Roses Stakes at York and Blah Blah Stakes at Haydock, before finishing fourth of 23 in the Two-Year-Old-Trophy at Redcar on her first attempt over 6 furlongs. 

On her first two starts as a three-year-old, Mecca’s Angel was the impressive winner of handicaps at Thirsk and Hamilton, prompting a further 10lb rise in the weights, before being raised in class and distance for the Prix Texanita at Longchamp in May. She was a beaten favourite, once again, in the latter contest but, after four months off, returned to record her first Listed and Pattern race successes at Doncaster and Newbury, respectively.  

Her four-year-old campaign was restricted to just three starts, of which the highlight was, unquestionably, her 2-length defeat of Queen Mary Stakes winner, Acapulco, who was receiving 24lb, on her first attempt in Group One company in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York. Indeed, that effort was only bettered by her performance in the same race the following year, in which she not only beat the July Cup winner Limato by 2 lengths but came within a whisker of breaking the course record set by Dayjur – once dubbed ‘the fastest horse in the world’ by the Racing Post – in 1990. 

The following October, Mecca’s Angel started 6/4 favourite for the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp but, having taken the lead inside the final two furlongs, weakened close home to finish third, beaten just three-quarters of a length, behind Marsha. Following her final race, the British Champions Sprint at Ascot in October 2016, in which she finished only twelfth of thirteen, beaten 12 lengths, behind The Tin Man, Mecca’s Angel was retired from racing and subsequently sold, privately, for an undisclosed fee.

Ortensia Wins the Nunthorpe Stakes in 2012

Foaled in Australia on September 16, 2005, Ortensia was a daughter of multiple Grade-One winning Australian sprinter Testa Rossa. Owned by an ownership group headed by Alistair Fraser and trained, initially, by Tony Noonan in Mornington, Victoria, Ortensia won eight races in her native country as two-, three- and four-year-old and was first past the post in the James Boag Galaxy at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, New South Wales, only to be subsequently disqualified after a banned substance was found in her urine sample. 

Consequently, it was not until the age of six, having been transferred to Paul Mesara in Scone, New South Wales, that Ortensia recorded her first legitimate Grade One victory. That victory came in the newly-upgraded Winterbottom Stakes, over 6 furlongs, at Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Western Australia in November 2011. Ortensia had actually won the Winterbottom Stakes before, but her previous victory, as a four-year-old, in 2009 came at a time when the race was still a Grade Two contest. 

Ortensia was subsequently prepared for an international campaign, which began at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates the following March. In the Group One Al Quoz Sprint, she was sent off 6/1 joint-second favourite behind Sole Power but, having made smooth progress from the rear with two furlongs to run, led inside the final half a furlong to win by 1¼ lengths. 

For the remainder of 2012, Ortensia was campaigned exclusively in Britain, starting with the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. On her first start for 80 days, Ortensia was sent off 9/2 joint-favourite but weakened inside the final furlong to finish ninth of 22, beaten 6¾ lengths, behind Little Bridge. She was again fancied for the July Cup at Newmarket the following month when ridden for the first time by William Buick, she started 7/1 fourth favourite but again weakened in the final furlong to finish fourth of twelve, beaten 8¼ lengths, behind Mayson. 

The following month, Buick was aboard again when Ortensia was dropped back to the minimum trip in the King George Stakes at Goodwood and steered her to her first success on British soil. Having raced towards the centre of the course in the stands’ side group, Ortensia made good headway from the rear of the field with over a furlong to run, led inside the final furlong and ran on strongly to beat Spirit Quartz by 1¼ lengths with Masamah a further half a length back in third. Having justified joint-favouritism at Goodwood, Ortensia also started joint-favourite, alongside King’s Stand Stakes runner-up, Bated Breath, at 7/2, for her next appearance, in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York. 

However, it was her old rival Spirit Quartz who gave her most to do, leading inside the final hundred yards before Ortensia, who looked to have a hopeless task at halfway, burst through on the far side rail to snatch the spoils by a neck in a thrilling finish. Hamish McGonagall, who’d been runner-up in 2011, finished third beaten a further 1¼ lengths after setting a strong pace. 

Following her return to Australia, Ortensia ran just twice as a seven-year-old, finishing eleventh of 13, beaten 4¼ lengths, in the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield and twelfth of 13, beaten 10¼ lengths, in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington. Nevertheless, at the end of her career, she had won 13 of her 37 starts – including Group One contests in three different countries – and over £1.4 million in total prize money.

Watch Ortensia win the Nunthorpe Stakes 2012 at York 

2000 Nunthorpe Stakes Winner Nuclear Debate Wins at York

Embed from Getty Images Foaled in America on February 8, 1995, Nuclear Debate was a much-travelled son of Geiger Counter, himself a minor 6-furlong winner, but a son of the superb stallion Mr Prospector. Owned by a partnership headed by J. R. ‘Bob’ Chester, Nuclear Debate began his racing career with Lynda Ramsden at Breckenbrough House Stables in Sandhutton, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire. 

He made his racecourse debut in a maiden stakes race, over 5 furlongs, at Beverley in July 1997; he stayed on in the final quarter of a mile, but was never near the leaders and finished sixth of 15, beaten 11¾ lengths. He raced five more times, without success, as a juvenile, including twice after being gelded that September. 

After a 183-day break, Nuclear Debate was placed on his first two starts, in a median auction maiden stakes race at Thirsk and a 0-110 three-year-old handicap at Lingfield, both over 6 furlongs, before finally opening his account in a maiden stakes race at Thirsk, again over 6 furlongs, in May. Thereafter, he was targeted at major sprint handicaps, winning the Gosforth Park Cup, over 5 furlongs, at Newcastle off a handicap mark of 90 and, after unplaced efforts in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood and the Great St. Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon, finishing second in the Portland Handicap, over 5½ furlongs, at Doncaster off a handicap mark of 97.

At the end of 1998, Lynda Ramsden relinquished her training licence for the first time – she would actually return to training in 2001, before doing so again in 2005 – and Nuclear Debate was transferred to Englishman John Hammond at Chemin des Aigles in Chantilly, France. Nuclear Debate was campaigned exclusively at Listed and Pattern level during his four-year-old season and recorded three wins from ten starts. In June 1999, he won the Prix Hampton at Maisons-Laffite, in August, he won the Prix du Cercle at Deauville and, in October, he recorded his first success at Group level when winning the Premio Omenoni at San Siro, Italy. 

On his return to action, as a five-year-old, in 2000, Nuclear Debate made a ‘quiet’ reappearance, when only sixth of 11, beaten 3¾ lengths, in the Prix de Saint-Georges at Longchamp in May. However, just over a fortnight later, he reversed the form with three of the horses that had beaten him at Longchamp to win the Prix du Gros-Chene at Chantilly.

Later in June, Nuclear Debate lined up, as 16/1 joint-seventh choice of the 23 runners, for the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. Racing in the centre of the course, he was held up at the rear by Gerald Mosse before making progress just after halfway, taking the lead inside the final furlong and running on well to win by 1½ lengths. Subsequent July Cup winner Agnes World finished second, with Bertolini further three-quarters of a length behind in third place. 

After a short break, sprint king Nuclear Debate returned to British soil for his first attempt at Group One level, in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, in August. Sent off the clear favourite, at 5/2, he was once again held up, before making headway at halfway and cruising to a comfortable 1¼-length victory over his old rival Bertolini. Subsequent Haydock Sprint Cup winner Pipalong finished third, a further 1½ lengths away. At the end of his five-year-old campaign, Nuclear Debate was voted Cartier Sprinter of the Year for 2000.

See Nuclear Debate Win the 2000 Nunthorpe Stakes at York

Bahamian Pirate Wins Nunthorpe Stakes Group 1

Embed from Getty Images Foaled in Kentucky on March 3, 1995, Bahamian Pirate was a son of Housebuster, who won the Eclipse Award for Male Sprinter in 1990 and 1991, and is the horse for whom his sire is best known in Europe. Owned by Lucayan Stud, under the auspices of the late Edward St. George, in whose famous black-and-white colours he ran, Bahamian Pirate began his racing career, as a three-year-old, with the late Con Collins at Conyngham Lodge Stables in Maddenstown, Co. Kildare, Ireland. 

However, after two unplaced runs, over 7 furlongs and a mile, Bahamian Pirate was transferred to the late David ‘Dandy’ Nicholls, a.k.a. ‘The Sprint King’, at Tall Trees Farm in Sessay, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire. Even so, it was over a year, and half a dozen runs, later that Bahamian Pirate broke his duck, making virtually all to win a maiden stakes race, over 5 furlongs, at Ripon under Nicholls’ wife, Alex Greaves, despite hanging right from halfway. 

Bahamian Pirate wasn’t seen again until May, 2000 and, although finishing only twelfth of 24, beaten 6¼ lengths, on his handicap debut, over 5 furlongs, at Thirsk, apprentice Clare Roche was suspended for eight days for making ‘insufficient effort’. Six days later, under Nicholls’ son, Adrian – at that time, himself still an apprentice – Bahamian Pirate won a lower grade handicap, over 6 furlongs, at Carlisle. Indeed, that year proved to be the most successful, numerically, of his career, with four more wins, including the Ayr Gold Cup and the Bentinck Stakes at Newmarket. 

Thereafter, though, Bahamian Pirate was campaigned almost exclusively in Listed and Pattern company for the next three seasons and, while he suffered a few agonising ‘near misses’ – he was second in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp in 2001 and second in the July Cup, behind stable companion Continent, in 2002 – he won just one race in that period. His sole success came, by a short head, in the Phoenix Sprint Stakes, over 6 furlongs, at Leopardstown in August, 2001, and was followed by a 26-race losing streak that would last until he made his seasonal debut, as a nine-year-old, in March 2004. 

Nevertheless, on his return from a 178-day break, Bahamian Pirate demonstrated his well-being by winning a small conditions race – in which he was, very much, favoured by the race conditions – over 5 furlongs at Nottingham. He again failed to make impression in Listed and Pattern company, but did win two more small conditions races, both over 5 furlongs, at Beverley and Newmarket, in May and July, respectively. In fact, on the latter occasion, he beat the 115-rated three-year-old, Balmont, who’d finished third in the July Cup on his previous outing, to whom he was conceding 8lb. 

The pair met again in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York but, despite being 6lb worse off for the neck he finished behind Bahamian Pirate at Newmarket, Balmont remained the better fancied, at 13/2 joint-fourth favourite, with Nicholls’ veteran only eighth choice of the twelve runners at 16/1. Nevertheless, in the hands of Seb Sanders, who was riding him for the first time, Bahamian Pirate stayed on well to lead inside the final furlong and was driven out to win by a neck from The Tatling with the strong-finishing favourite, One Cool Cat, a further length away in third place. In so doing, he not only provided Nicholls with his second win in the Nunthorpe Stakes – after Ya Malak dead-heated with Coastal Bluff in 1997 – but became the oldest winner of a Group One race in Britain.

Pocket Rocket Lyric Fantasy Wins Nunthorpe Stakes 1992

Foaled in Co. Cork, Ireland on January 30, 1990, Lyric Fantasy was a daughter of Tate Gallery – a full-brother to the exceptional sire Sadler’s Wells – and named, quite cleverly, after an unfinished mural by Augustus John that is housed in the Millbank institution. Bought for just 12,500 guineas as a yearling by the late Lord Carnarvon, Lyric Fantasy was trained by Richard Hannon Snr. and ridden, throughout her two-year-old campaign, by Michael ‘Muis’ Roberts. 

A small, nay tiny, filly, who stood a little over 14 hand high, Lyric Fantasy was clearly precocious and became known as the ‘Pocket Rocket’. She made her racecourse debut in the Lady Caroline Stakes, over 5 furlongs, at Windsor on April 27, 1992 and, although she had to be hard ridden in the closing stages, ran on to beat previous winner Ancestral Dancer by half a length. 

With that experience under her belt, the following month she was stepped up in class in the National Stakes, also over 5 furlongs, at Sandown. She met Ancestral Dancer again, on 5lb worse terms than at Windsor, and three other rivals, but quickened clear in the closing stages to win by 6 lengths. On her next start, Lyric Fantasy was stepped up in class again, in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. Sent off 11/8 favourite, not only did she make all the running for an impressive 5-length win but, in so doing, recorded a time of 59.72 seconds, a course record for her age group.   

Consequently, the Newbury Sales Super Sprint Trophy – now the Weatherbys Super Sprint – in which horses are handicapped according to their purchase price as a yearling, looked hers for the taking. Despite Hannon expressing misgivings about her ability to act on rain-softened ground, Lyric Fantasy was sent off 2/5 favourite to maintain her unbeaten record and duly obliged, making most of the running and winning easily by 6 lengths. 

Her next appearance was in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August, in which, as a juvenile filly taking on older horses, she received a colossal weight allowance of 27lb. She was due to carry just 7st 7lb, but Lord Carnarvon ‘allowed’ Roberts – whose usual lowest riding weight was 7st 13lb – to put up 1lb overweight at 7st 8lb. Testament to the impact made by Lyric Fantasy in her juvenile season was the fact that, at York, she was sent off 8/11 favourite ahead of the July Cup winner, Mr. Brooks, also trained by Hannon. 

In any event, ridden with a little more restraint than was customary, Lyric Fantasy led two furlongs out and ran on strongly to beat her stable companion by half a length. In so doing, she became the first juvenile since Ennis, in 1956, to win the Nunthorpe Stakes and the first juvenile filly to do so. Although she achieved a Timeform Annual Rating of ‘just’ 113 when winning the Nunthorpe Stakes, Lyric Fantasy was, unsurprisingly, named Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly for 1992. 

Her two-year-old campaign ended in a 2-length defeat by Sayyedati, when stepped up to 6 furlongs for the first time, in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in September and, although she was subsequently sold to John Magnier for 340,000 guineas, Lyric Fantasy didn’t train on as a three-year-old. On her reappearance in April, 1993, she finished only sixth of 12, beaten 3 lengths, behind Sayyedati in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket and, although she won the Charlotte Fillies Stakes, over 6 furlongs, at the same course the following month, she finished seventh of eight, beaten 13½ lengths, in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and last of eleven, beaten 14 lengths, in the Nunthorpe Stakes.

Margot Did Wins Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1)

Foaled in Ireland on March 17, 2008, Margot Did was a daughter of top-class Australian sprinter Exceed And Excel and proved to be a precocious, smart, if rather unlucky, two-year-old. Owned by Peter Phillip and Tim Redman, trained by Martin Bell at Fitzroy House in Newmarket and ridden, almost exclusively, by Hayley Turner, Margot Did won her maiden, over 6 furlongs, at Newbury at the first time of asking in May, 2010, and followed up, in effortless fashion, in a novice stakes race at Yarmouth ten days later. 

The following month she was stepped up in class in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, in which she was beaten a head, and so began a series of agonising near-misses over 6 furlongs in Pattern and Listed company. She was beaten half a length in the Princess Margaret Stakes, also at Ascot, in July, three-quarters of a length in the Lowther Stakes at York, in August, and a nose and a neck in the Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury, in September. On the final start of her two-year-old campaign, on her first attempt at Group One level, she finished fifth of 11, beaten 6¾ lengths, behind Hooray, who had beaten her in the Lowther Stakes. 

On her reappearance in April, 2009, Margot Did was again narrowly beaten, this time by a neck and half a length, in the Pavilion Stakes, again over 6 furlongs at Ascot. She attempted 5 furlongs for the first time on her next start, in a conditions stakes race at York in May and, despite a slipping saddle, finished a never-nearer fourth, beaten half a length, a head and a neck, behind odds-on favourite Night Carnation. 

Thereafter, a change of tactics saw Margot Did ridden more prominently over the minimum trip and she won her next two starts, the Scurry Stakes at Sandown, by 5 lengths, and the Land O’Burns Fillies’ Stakes at Ayr, by a neck. Stepped back up to Group level, in the Sprint Stakes, also at Sandown, in July, she met Night Carnation on the same terms as at York but, having chased the leaders, faded inside the final furlong to finish fourth, beaten 4 lengths, behind her old rival. 

Nevertheless, Margot Did next lined up in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, for which she started 20/1 co-eighth choice of the 15 runners behind 11/4 favourite Hoof It, who’d readily won the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood under 10st on his previous outing. Once again ridden prominently, she took the overall lead on the stands’ side approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly to win by three-quarters of a length. Hamish McGonagall, who’d taken the stands’ side group along, finished second, with Prohibit, who’d tracked the leader on the far side, a further half a length away in third place. 

The victory was the second at Group One level for Hayley Turner, who’d already won the July Cup on Dream Ahead, and the second for a lady jockey in the Nunthorpe Stakes, after Alex Greaves dead-heated on Ya Malak in 1997. Sadly, Margot Did never won again, finishing last of 15, beaten 13½ lengths, in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp on the final start of her three-year-old campaign and failing to trouble the judge in five starts as a four-year-old before she was retired from racing in July, 2012.

Sole Power Double Jubilant In The Nunthorpe Stakes For Edward Lynam

If ever one horse was genetically predisposed to win one race that horse was Sole Power and that race was the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, although, just for good measure, he won the prestigious 5-furlong contest not once, but twice, in 2010 and 2014. Foaled on March 18, 2007, Sole Power was sired by Kyllachy, who won the Nunthorpe Stakes for Henry Candy in 2002 and was, in turn, sired by Pivotal, who won the Nunthorpe Stakes for Sir Mark Prescott in 1996. He was owned by Mrs. Sabine Power and trained by Edward Lynam in Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath. 

Destiny or not, his first victory, as a completely unconsidered 100/1 outsider, over a field that contained Kingsgate Native and Borderlescott, winners of the last three renewals, and Staspangledbanner, winner of the Golden Jubilee Stakes and the July Cup – to name but three of his 11 illustrious rivals – sent a shock wave of major proportions through the racing world. 

Prior to the Nunthorpe Stakes, his best performance in a Pattern race had come on the second start of his three-year-old campaign, when fourth of 12, beaten 2½ lengths, behind Equiano – who was also in the Nunthorpe field – in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket, when ridden by Wayne Lordan. On that occasion, Sole Power was ridden prominently but, at York, a change of tactics brought about a dramatic change of fortune. As would become his customary style of racing thereafter, he was, for the first time, held up, before unleashing a single, withering burst of acceleration in the closing stages to win decisively by 1¼ lengths from Starspangledbanner. 

Sole Power ran in the Nunthorpe Stakes in five of the next six years before he was retired from racing, at the age of ten, in March, 2017, on his return from a short, but unsuccessful stint in Dubai. He missed the race in 2011, when connections preferred the Group Three Flying Five Stakes, on home soil, at the Curragh – in which he was beaten, anyway – but finished seventh to Ortensia in 2012, third to Jwala, beaten half a length a nose, in 2013, fourth to Mecca’s Angel in 2015 and eighth to the same horse in 2016. 

However, in 2014, despite suffering from a skin infection that limited him to just four appearances on British soil, Sole Power was at the top of his game. He won the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket under Ryan Moore and the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot – for the second time – under Richard Hughes en route to his fourth crack at the Nunthorpe Stakes in five years. 

Ridden, once again, by Richard Hughes, he unsurprisingly started favourite, at 11/4, to land his second renewal, but had things far from all his own way. Held up, as usual, he was switched to challenge on the stands’ side over a furlong out, but denied a clear run and switched back to the centre of the course inside the final furlong, before quickening through a gap between horses close home to win by half a length. Stepper Point finished second, as he’d done in the King’s Stand Stakes, while the next seven horses home, headed by Sprint Stakes winner Extortionist, all finished within 2 lengths of the winner.