Power Stakes Tips & Betting Preview

A bumper field of seventeen sprinters go to post for the 2017 renewal of the Power Stakes at Navan, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: A fascinating contest is in prospect with lots of horses with good form already on the table like Psychedelic Funk and Intelligence Cross taking on unexposed improvers such as ALPHABET, who takes the verdict for Aiden O’Brien. She posted three promising efforts last season and returned this campaign with a career best to win a big field maiden at Naas with authority, easing clear by five lengths. She should improve on that run massively and with conditions to suit, she should take all the beating with Seamie Heffernan taking the ride.

1 INTELLIGENCE CROSS – Aiden O’Brien three year old who has some solid form set, winning a Group 3 at the Curragh back in August before finishing forth in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket in September. He returned this season with a pipe opener at Dundalk where he finished forth and he should appreciate this drop back in trip back on the turf, with Donnacha O’Brien taking the ride. Ground conditions are fine and he has solid claims if back to his best on his second start this season.

2 CALLENDER – Showed lots of encouragement last season including a win over the five furlongs here back in May 2016 when with the Prendergast yard, finishing off with that yard when fifth in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. He won on first start for the Halford team for his second course victory here at Navan and backed up that effort when seventh in a listed race at Dundalk back in October. More needed this season and unless he improves massively on seasonal reappearance, place claims are the best he can hope for.

3 DE BOSS MAN – Has run some sound races in his six race career including a good forth at York in the Rockingham Stakes back in October, returning this season with a good forth at Dundalk. Still has something to find with the principles but he could still improve and conditions today are perfect. Lively place contender for the O’Callaghan yard.

4 KHUKRI – Three year old who ran well in a string of maidens, improving with every run until winning at the Curragh in soft ground conditions back in September. Ran well on good so conditions aren’t a problem and if taking another step forward this season he wouldn’t be amiss in the places, market support should be noted.

5 MIRDIF – Shouldn’t be too far away if ratings are to go by but this three year old isn’t one to rely on heavily and although he was a good third in a Group 3 at the Curragh in July, he was well beaten on his last two starts at Naas and Meydan. Hard to be confident he’ll put his best foot forward and although he can’t be discounted entirely, others are preferred.

6 MR SCARLET – Only two runs under his belt, showing heaps of promise when third at Fairyhouse in July before winning a big field maiden at Naas in July in good style. He has much more on his plate here but conditions are to suit and Ronan Whelan takes the ride, so he is hard to rule out with improvement seemingly inevitable. Place contender and shouldn’t be ignored.

7 PSYCHEDELIC FUNK – Showed himself to be smart last season, winning his first two races in good style before a third in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot behind the very smart Caravaggio. He did flop in a Group 1 at the Curragh when last seen but this is much easier and he still has room for improvement with the ever in form Colin Keane taking the ride. GM Lyons in amongst the winners at present and with conditions to suit, he has to be considered a main contender.

8 RADIO SILENCE – Entered into the Irish 2000 Guineas which poses the question as to why this potentially smart miler and beyond is dropping back to the extended five furlongs on season debut. Showing huge amounts of promise at the seven furlong trip on his first two starts, he finished second behind Churchill at the Curragh last season when forcing Seamie Heffernan to shake up the star of last season to assert. Hard to see this drop back in trip suiting and others are preferred this time around.

9 SON OF REST – Showed heaps of promise last season, finishing second at Tipperary on debut before being far from disgraced in a Group 1 before Churchill at the Curragh in September. He capped the season off with a maiden win at Cork by a big margin and he should be capable of even better this season for the in form Stack yard. Chris Hayes takes the ride and all signs point to a big run, though better ground is a question mark.

10 ALPHABET – Aiden O’Brien first string who posted three promising efforts last season before returning this campaign to win a Naas maiden with authority, easing clear by five lengths and it could have easily been more. Better conditions will be no problem for her and she should improve massively for that run, with Seamie Heffernan taking the ride this time around. She will take all the beating if improving again and has to be respected.

11 CHILDHOOD – Won her last two starts for Will McCreery including the Birdcatcher at Naas when last seen in October, running on strongly in the final strides to snatch the race. She is improving with every run and if taking another sizeable leap forward she could perhaps run into the placings with conditions to suit, though she does look vulnerable for win purposes as she’ll have to improve a huge amount.

12 DANDYMAN PORT -Won on debut when in France and went on to post two more respectable efforts at the six furlong trip before switching to the Des Donovan yard for her latest start. On that start at Cork in heavy ground conditions she was a distant third, beaten twelve lengths by the eventual winner and will need to step up massively on that run. Hard to recommend her and best watched again.

13 GORANE – Showed some encouragement on debut for Henry De Bromhead when sixth at Dundalk and she improved on that to win a fourteen runner maiden at the same venue over the six furlong trip, all out to fend off the challengers. She may well be progressive but she probably needs further to show her best and even the form of her latest win means she’s quite far short for the places. Likely to be popular for each way bets as she’s unexposed but looks an unlikely winner.

14 KOCOLLADA – Won her firs two starts for Richard Fahey and she was highly tried from there on in, campaigned mainly in pattern level races where she was unable to land a blow. She was last seen in November when well beaten in a listed race at Chantilly and makes her first start for the Joseph Murphy yard today. Will need to improve plenty to be involved in this and she looks likely to need sounder ground to show her best.

15 MISS COGENT – One of the more exposed runners and her limitations were also well and truly exposed when she went into better company last season. She was last seen finishing second at Dundalk in October but that was in much easier company than this and she looks booked for another struggle if she hasn’t improved massively over the winter. Hard to build a case for her.

16 SOULS IN THE WIND – Didn’t show much promise for this level in four runs out in Meydan with the Seemar yard, well beaten in a listed race at that venue when last seen in February. On first run for the Shanahan yard she was a well beaten sixth and it’s hard to see her taking any sort of role in this, so she’s best left alone despite odds that will perhaps be quite tempting (it’s hard to see her not being the outsider).

17 TILLY TROTTER – Posted a career best effort on her fifth start for Dermot Weld when winning at Dundalk in October in good style, despite being hampered towards the furlong pole. She was far from disgraced on seasonal debut at the same venue when a head behind De Boss Man, looking likely that she would come on for the run. She remains with potential and should make her presence felt for the places at least with conditions to suit.