Power is a Diamond for Lynam

THE speedsters take centre stage on the final day of Royal Ascot and SLADE POWER (Ascot, 4.25) can cap a magnificent week for trainer Edward Lynam (above) with victory in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes. The County Meath handler has already saddled two winners this week courtesy of Sole Power and Anthem Alexander and in Slade Power he has the ideal candidate for the prestigious six-furlong Group One event. A sparkling comeback victory at The Curragh signalled the son of Dutch Art had recovered well from a trip to Sha Tin last December where, after missing the break, he struggled to get competitive against some home grown talent and his stablemate Sole Power. Hopefully, the return to a straight six furlongs will work the oracle for Slade Power who ran out an impressive winner over course and distance last October in defeating Jack Dexter — and this has been the plan all season. Worries about the ground were swiftly allayed by the selection’s handler yesterday and the five-year-old is narrowly preferred to Aljamaaheer who hails from a yard among the winners on day four and he looks tailormade for a concerted try at sprinting. HOOF IT (Ascot, nap, 5.00) has been round the block a bit, but he has been forced to race on soft ground and the all weather for much of the last year and encountering a decent surface could see him go close in the Wokingham Stakes. The former Stewards’ Cup winner boasted the quality to finish a close-up third in the Haydock Park Sprint that summer and he filled the same position last September when a 33-1 chance on ground again softer than ideal. Three excellent performances on the all weather suggests the fire has not yet been extinguished and it is worth recalling his effort behind Tarooq at Lingfield in February was conducted in a track-record time. PIQUE SOUS (Ascot, nb, 5.35) represents connections who won this race with Simenon two years ago and he caught the eye with a comeback effort at the Curragh. He is reported to be going well at home in preparation for this and has a huge chance if he gets home