Gavin Lerena and Geoff Woodruff operated at a 33% win strike-rate last term and the power duo made it a sweet SA Champions Day feature double when the very progressive Silvano filly Sunshine Silk stayed on powerfully to beat a solid field of stamina hardknockers in the R500 000 Gr3 Gold Bowl at Turffontein on Saturday.
Completing a nice hat-trick of features after the Sun Chariot and Caradoc Gold Cup, Sunshine Silk has relished the step up in ground and showed resolve and courage when pegging back the perpetual motion machine Dromedaris late in the 3200m contest.
Gavin Lerena and Sunshine Silk edge ahead of the dour galloper Dromedaris (Pic – JC Photos)
Gavin Lerena knows her well and timed the effort to perfection as Sunshine Silk beat the year older gelding by a convincing half length in a time of 215,44 secs.
Tirzan plodded in third a further 2,50 lengths back.
Sunshine Silk is likely to be targetted at the Gold Cup – a race not won by a filly since Kannemeyer’s Colonial Girl way back in 2000!
Sunshine Silk was bred by Gold Star Stud from champion Silvano (Lomitas) out of the Al Mafti mare, Vanilla Silk.
She was purchased for R475 000 at the National Yearling Sale and took her stakes total to R926 200 with her sixth win and 12 places from 21 starts.
Bred on the same Silvano/Al Mufti cross as Gr1 winners Al Sahem, Bold Silvano and Kings Gambit, Sunshine Silk is an exciting player in our thin staying ranks
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Gr3 Gold Bowl (SAf-Gr3)
Turffontein, South Africa, May 4, R500k, 3200m, turf, good, 3.35.44
1 – SUNSHINE SILK (SAF), 57.0, ch f 4, Silvano (GER) – Vanilla Silk (SAF) by Al Mufti (USA). Owner Mrs A Devachander; Breeder Gold Star Stud; trainer GV Woodruff; jockey G Lerena
2 – Dromedaris (SAF), 54.0, b g 5, Global One (AUS) – Nautical (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA)
3 – Tirzan (SAF), 53.0, b g 5, Seventh Rock (AUS) – Tirza (SAF) by Silvano (GER)
Margins: 0.50, 2.50, 0.10
