Count on Sampower Star

Sampower Star can continue his remarkable progress by winning today's £50,000-added Tripleprint Temple Stakes at Sandown. The colt, who began his racing career when beaten in a seller as a juvenile, has really thrived for Richard Hannon this year.

He won a small contest at Windsor followed by a Listed race at Ascot, but by far his most impressive performance came at York earlier in the month when the three-year-old defied the record books to seize victory in the Duke of York Victor Chandler Stakes.

Second season horses have a poor record in the Group Three contest with only Owington of that age group obliging in the last 10 years. But Sampower Star forged to the front inside the final furlong and ran on strongly to defeat Warningford by one and three-quarter lengths.

Sampower Star now drops back from six to five furlongs but his trainer, Richard Hannon, always had this move in mind with the horse's long-term target being the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp in October.

Sampower Star certainly has plenty of speed and this is a stiff five anyway.

Hannon has prospects of a double with Lots Of Magic in the £25,000-added Doubleprint Rated Stakes (Showcase Handicap). This is a very competitive race but Lots Of Magic has the scope to progress beyond his current rating.

He impressed on his appearance when returning to action in a stakes race at Lingfield last week and comfortably beat the odds-on Al Naba by three and a half lengths. He must have a fighting chance with just a 3lb penalty.

Celeric can continue his resurgence in the £40,000added Bonusprint Stakes. The seven-year-old chose the scene of his greatest triumph to make his return from the wilderness when winning the Group Three Insulpak Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.

The bay's last visit to a winner's enclosure had been in the 1997 Gold Cup at the Royal Meeting.

In January of 1997, his then trainer David Morley died of a heart attack, and principal owner Christopher Spence transferred him to John Dunlop's Arundel yard.

There were some respectable efforts in his six outings for Dunlop last year, but none of them resulted in victory. But, as Richard Quinn brought his partner past Shaya inside the final furlong, connections' wait was over.

At the line he had a length and a half to spare over the runner-up, with the same distance to Canon Can.

Now he has got used to his new surroundings, Celeric should have a good season.