Our Power

The ground matters enormously with Our Power. On normal conditions it has won 3 of its 5 races — 60% — which is a staggering hit rate at any level, let alone in top-flight company. When the ground is right, this horse has shown it can be almost impossible to beat. The challenge is that those conditions have not translated into a win since that Kempton success in February 2023, now 38 months ago. Six races without a win is a drought that raises questions, and the most recent form — a sixth and a fourth in its last two completed runs — suggests the sharp edge that cut through at Ascot and Kempton has been harder to find.

The partnership with jockey Dylan Johnston is a curious subplot. They have ridden together seven times without winning once, which for a horse of this quality is a notable blank. Whether that reflects the quality of opposition, the ground on those days, or something about the combination itself, it has not clicked yet.

Sam Thomas trains out of Lisvane in South Glamorgan, and the yard is in excellent shape this season with 23 winners on the board. At 11 years old, Our Power is towards the end of its career, but it raced just 29 days ago, so the team clearly believe there is still something worth chasing. Two Class 1 wins do not come along easily. The question is whether the horse that beat the best on those autumn and winter days two years ago has one more big performance left in it.