Maine Chance Farms’ outstanding stallion Silvano was officially crowned as South Africa’s Champion Sire for 2017-2018 at Tuesday night’s Equus Awards ceremony in Johannesburg.

The son of Lomitas has now been South Africa’s Champion Sire on three occasions, with Silvano previously Champion in 2012-2013 and 2016-2017.  Remarkably, Silvano was Champion Sire last season despite not having a single G1 winner in 2017-2018 to his name. His 12 black type winners, of 13 graded/listed races, included the graded winners Miyabi Gold, Simply Royal, Bella Sonata, Star Express, Strathdon and Elusive Silva. The latter finished third to stable mate Do It Again in the 2018 Vodacom Durban July and is bred on the same Silvano/Fort Wood cross as G1 winners Marinaresco and Nightingale.

Silvano also went close to enjoying classic success last season, with his offspring finding the frame in all of the G2 Gauteng Guineas, G2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas, and SA Oaks.

He ended the 2017-2018 season as South Africa’s second Leading Sire of 3YOs by stake money, with Silvano sophomores banking R7 785 850.
Silvano, whose 20 G1 winners include four Vodacom Durban July winners and six Equus Awards, was responsible for 114 individual winners of 182 races during 2017-2018, when his offspring banked R19 729 770.

He also made news overseas with his son Janoobi winning the G2 Zabeel Mile and finishing third in the G1 Jebel Hatta for trainer Mike de Kock.

Not surprisingly, Silvano yearlings continued to prove popular, with Silvano’s yearlings making up to R3 000 000 in 2018.

Silvano has nine lots on this week’s National Two Year Old Sale, while his Equus Champion sons Bold Silvano and Vercingetorix are represented by 11 and 14 lots respectively.