Relishing the Kenilworth track conditions, and enjoying a preferred loose-reined ride from Richard Fourie, the Gr1 winning Silvano mare Silvano’s Pride went from gun to tape to win the R125 000 Cape Racing Gr3 Victress Stakes in swashbuckling style on Saturday.
Having her second outing since an unsuccessful bid on the Vodacom Durban July, the Justin Snaith-trained 5yo chestnut had tightened up visibly from her prep sprint a month ago and kept rolling at 18 to 10 to beat the year younger Joburg visitor Heart Stwings (12 to 1) by a half length in a time of 110,74 secs.
Richard Fouire has Silvano’s Pride in front as Heart Stwings (Luke Ferraris) tries hard to get on terms (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The fancied topweight Missisippi Burning ran a rare disappointing race, over 15 lengths off the winner.
Owned and bred by Anthony Peter, the Varsfontein team received the accolades – “Carl de Vos and Susan Kalmanson deserve the credit. They know where to send the mare. They know what they are doing,” declared the elated owner-breeder.
Richard Fourie knows the smart mare well.
“One can’t restrain her. That’s her style, She has the Silvano class and courage which gets her home,” said Fourie, who came under fire from Luke Ferraris on the visitor inside the 200m.
Jono Snaith saddled in the absence of his boss-brother Justin and declared the Paddock Stakes next on the agenda.
Silvano’s Pride is bred on the same cross as exported champion Hawwaam – being a daughter of champion sire Silvano (Lomitas) out of the four-time winning Jet Master mare, Mary’s Pride.
She went through the ring at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale in 2017 but was wisely bought back for R100 000 by her breeder.
She has won 6 races with 7 places from 18 starts for stakes of R1 324 875.
