Trainer all smiles now with Almanzor 3YO

Trainer Liam Howley breathed a sigh of relief after El Poder Del Sol finally showed his true colours at Geelong.He has never made any secret of the regard he has for the son of Almanzor, but the three-year-old who carries our colours has frustrated rather than delivered up until his victory romp over 2200 metres under Jason Maskiell.“That was a very pleasing win and I said to Jason pre-race that we were racing for our credibility,” Howley said.“We’ve both had a huge opinion of this horse the whole way along and we’ve been backed by some great stable supporters like Cambridge Stud, Ben Kwok and Steve Foti.“We just felt he needed that bit of extra time, he’d been doing some good work but just wasn’t finishing off, so it was great to see him get out there and do it.”El Poder Del Sol had finished third on a heavy track at his previous appearance at Geelong and was dynamic on the good surface on his return to come from back in the field to win with authority and press his claims for a black-type challenge.The Listed VRC St Leger over 2800 metres at Flemington on Anzac Day is a likely option for the colt.“It’s on the radar and in time will make a natural stayer, just like his brother, and he covers the ground well and has got a big set of lungs,” Howley said.El Poder Del Sol’s sibling is Virtuous Circle, a two-time winner and also runner-up in the G1 Australian Derby.Their dam is the stakes performed Stryker mare She Is Stryking, who has an unraced yearling filly by Hello Youmzain.