By his own lofty standards, champion Silvano has not dominated this season the way he has for the best part of the past decade. In fact, he currently finds himself trailing in fourth spot on the General Sires List.
Nevertheless, the now retired powerhouse showed he’s still a force to be reckoned with when his progeny claimed the Oaks and Derby at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
In fact, Silvano is no stranger to siring multiple Graded stakes winners on a single day, classic winners in particular, and on more than one occasion to boot.
He sired a same-day classic double for the very first time in 2008 when his Gr1 SA Classic winner Kings Gambit ran out a facile winner of the Gr1 SA Derby under Gavin Lerena, his victory following that of Happy Spirit in the Gr2 SA Oaks.
Silvano daughter Keep On Dancing (Warren Kennedy) powers home. Silva Magic (Keagan de Melo) is in third (Pic- Candiese Lenferna)
Weiho Marwing’s filly crossed the line a neck behind Mike de Kock’s Front Of House, but an objection on the grounds of intimidation was upheld and the Maine Chance-bred was awarded the race.
Silvano repeated that same double nine years later in 2017 with Al Sahem and Wind Chill. The Al Adiyaat-owned and bred colt made light work of the Derby, taking the lead fully 400m out and powering home from Derby Trial winner Pagoda and Heavenly Blue, who had beaten him in the Gr1 SA Classic.
Silvano also dominated with a one-two in the SA Oaks, his Joe Soma-trained daughter Wind Chill scoring with the minimum of fuss from paternal half-sister Oriental Oak.
The final Gr1 classics of the season, the Daily News 2000 and Woolavington 2000, have also been at Silvano’s mercy on more than one occasion.
In 2013, champion son Vercingetorix capped an unbeaten South African campaign with a hard-fought score in a head-bobbing finish to the Daily News 2000.
Vercingetorix shades Capetown Noir in the KRA Guineas
His victory mirrored that of paternal half-sister Do You Remember in the Woolavington 2000, where the Woodruff-trained filly prevailed by a head from Gr1 Majorca winner Blueridge Mountain. Old nemesis and Triple Tiara winner Cherry On The Top finished two lengths back in fourth place.
Silvano again pulled off that classic double two years ago when champion Hawwaam defeated Twist Of Fate in the Daily News 2000, while daughter Silvano’s Pride never saw a rival to claim the Woolavington 2000 with a bold, frontrunning performance.
Hawwaam also completed a Gr1 hat-trick of wins on the day, his Daily News success coming on the heels of a stunning tour de force in the Gr1 SA Classic and a four-length victory in the Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge.
Interestingly, the Shadwell champion has featured in more than one Silvano stakes double.
His victory in last season’s Gr2 Premier Trophy at Kenilworth served as a prelude to Kilindini’s success in the Gr1 Cape Guineas.
Then on the day paternal half-sister Summer Pudding set the seal on the Triple Tiara with a win in the Gr2 SA Oaks, he defeated stable companion Queen Supreme in the Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes.
Silvano (Lomitas – Spirit Of Eagles)
When Hawwaam won his first Premier’s Challenge, paternal half-sister Sunshine Silk completed her sire’s stakes double on the day with a gutsy half-length success in the Gr3 Gold Bowl.
Twelve months later, it was more of the same. Hawwaam brushed aside his rivals to claim his second Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge and Imperial Ruby followed in Sunshine Silks’ footsteps with a hard-fought victory in the Gold Bowl.
Remarkably, Silvano was back in the limelight 24 hours later with another brace of Graded stakes winners – this time at Hollywoodbets Greyville. Silvano’s Pride led her rivals a merry dance in the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes, while Summer Pudding emulated her paternal half-sister by adding the Woolavington 2000 to her Triple Tiara success.
Very few modern day South African stallions can match Silvano’s unparalleled string of same-day stakes ‘doubles’. With three classic crops yet to strut their stuff, the former Maine Chance Farm linchpin will no doubt add to that exemplary record.
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