Maine Chance Farms’ outstanding sire Silvano appears on track to register his fourth South African Sires Title, and the triple G1 winning son of Lomitas had another fine weekend this past week.
Silvano went close to having a feature race double at Kenilworth on Saturday with his classy daughter Platinum Class winning the Listed Ladies Mile and his exciting two-year-old son Silver Operator going down by just a short head when second in the G3 Langerman. (Remarkably, Platinum Class and Silver Operator were Silvano’s only two runners at Kenilworth on Saturday).
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, four-year-old Platinum Class stayed on smartly to record a one length win in the 1600m Ladies Mile at Kenilworth for trainer Justin Snaith and jockey Greg Cheyne. In the process, the filly took her tally of wins to six (she had captured the Listed Lady’s Bracelet earlier in the season) and her earnings to just over R500 000.
Platinum Class, who is out of the Jet Master mare Express Queen, is bred on the same Silvano/Jet Master cross as this season’s G1 winning 3yos Silvano’s Pride and Hawwaam.
Silvano, whose brilliant son Hawwaam is favourite to win Saturday’s G1 Vodacom Durban July, also enjoyed a notable double at Turffontein on Sunday with his sons Al Mutawakel and Meeraas winning races five and eight respectively.
Both runners are trained by Sean Tarry for owner-breeder Al Adaayit South Africa. Now unbeaten in three starts, progressive 3yo Al Mutawakel stamped himself a horse to follow when the Silvano colt scored a convincing half length win in a MR 84 handicap over 1600m.
A full-brother to G1 SA Derby winner Al Sahem, Al Mutawakel had made a winning debut over 1200m before going on to win over 1400m next time out.
Al Mutawakel’s paternal half-brother Meeraas provided Silvano with the second leg of his Turffontein double on Sunday when he got off the mark by half a length over 2000m.
Another son of Silvano to find the winners box this weekend was Silver Coin, with that gelding scoring a one length win at Borrowdale on Sunday afternoon.
Silvano, whose progeny have already banked over R19.478 million this season , has three lots on offer at this week’s KZN Yearling Sale.