Maine Chance Farms’ resident sire Silvano was represented by his 19th individual G1 winner when daughter Orchid Island captured Saturday’s G1 WIlgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic at Turffontein.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift/Mauritzfontein, the 3yo came with a late burst under Anthony Delpech to procure her first Grade One victory by a neck over Safe Harbour and Bi Pot, with Orchid Island stopping the clock in a time of 111.05 for the 1800m.
Owned by Wilgerbosdrift, Orchid Island has now won three of six outings, with her previous victories including a four length romp over G1 SA Classic third Furiosa in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes.
She is out of the stakes winning Tiger Ridge mare Ilha Grande, whose champion dam Ilha Da Vitoria is a daughter of Candy Stripes, also damsire of Silvano’s multiple graded stakes winner and G1 Vodacom Durban July winner Punta Arenas.
Silvano has been enjoying another magnificent season, with his other notable performers this season including G1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes winner Nightingale and G2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas winner Janoobi. (Another son, Al Sahem, ran second in both the Gauteng Guineas and in Saturday’s G1 SA Classic).
Champion Sire in South Africa in 2012-2013 , Silvano has six lots on the Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale this month, including a colt from the same family as legendary sire Mr Prospector (Lot 29), a colt out of a G3 winning Jallad mare (Lot 99), and a filly whose second dam is Australian G1 winner Heart Ruler (Lot 124).
He also has a superb draft on the 2017 National Yearling Sale, with Silvano’s 20 strong draft including yearlings out of such top class racemares as Princess Victoria, Express Queen, and Halfway To Heaven, as well as a full brother to G1 Gold Cup winner Wavin’ Flag, and an own sister to Equus Champion Hot Ticket.