Today, exactly a year ago, Maine Chance Farms lost its beloved champion Silvano. Aged 25, he had been pensioned from stallion duties in 2020.
A true gentleman and a giant amongst stallions, the German-bred son of Lomitas led the South African Sires List on six occasions, four of which consecutively.
Grace and power – Silvano was a star
Crowned South Africa’s Champion sire for the first time in 2012-13, Silvano finished fourth in 2013, third in 2014 and was pipped on the post in 2015. He dominated the next four seasons before slipping to fifth in 2020-21, only to reclaim his title this past season.
Considering that the South African racing programme is heavily weighted towards speed and precocity, and there are far less opportunities for late maturing types, Silvano’s achievements as a classic stallion were truly phenomenal.
Whilst his offspring have accounted for every major classic, he has also stamped his authority on the time-honoured Durban July, siring five winners of the country’s premier race. In 2015, he created history when his Maine Chance-bred sons Power King, Punta Arenas and Tellina filled the first three places. Two years later, Marinaresco scythed his way through the field to emerge victorious, finishing a head in front of Silvano’s SA Derby winner and favourite Al Sahem, while Gr.1-winning daughter Nightingale was pipped for third place by a shorthead.
This year, four-year-old daughter Sparkling continued her sire’s unparalleled record to become his fifth July winner, with third place going to paternal half-brother Safe Passage, who is a strong fancied to lift the Equus Champion thee-year-old award.
The sire of 110 stakes winners (9 of which were bred in his birth country Germany and included German Derby winner Lucky Speed), Silvano counts Horse of the Year Summer Pudding and the champions Bold Silvano, Aslan, Kings Gambit, Vercingetorix, Marinaresco and Hawwaam amongst 28 top level winners.
With two more crops yet to see the track, that tally is sure to increase.
Silvano’s legacy lives on through his excellent son Vercingetorix, who looked set for a first stallion title but for Splashing Water’s rich July win stake, which propelled his sire to the top of the log.
Another exciting stallion son waiting to make his bow is champion Hawwaam, a half-brother to Horse of the Year Rainbow Bridge and the Gr1 winner Golden Ducat.
Silvano is now making his mark as a broodmare sire and recently celebrated his first Gr1 success in that sphere when Oratorio filly Canadian Summer claimed the Thekwini Stakes, a victory which is likely to see her crowned the 2022 season’s Champion juvenile filly.
A grand stamp of a horse, Silvano was well balanced, of medium size, with a strong head and a wonderful neck and shoulder. Full of personality and presence, he had a kind and intelligent temperament, qualities he invariably imparted to his progeny.
Please read more – click on the SPRINT cover:
