The results of Saturday’s Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July meeting once again underlined the dominance of the late Silvano.
Not only did Silvano’s daughter Sparkling Water became her sire’s fifth July winner when she claimed Saturday’s headliner, Silvano also made his mark as a broodmare sire and sire of sires.
Silvano
In landing the July, Sparkling Water joined Bold Silvano, Heavy Metal, Power King and Marinaresco as July winners by Silvano, with Power King leading home a 1-2-3 for Silvano when he beat paternal half-brothers Punta Arenas and Tellina to win the 2015 July.
This year’s July was a double triumph for Silvano, with his daughter winning the historic race and his son Safe Passage finishing third.
Sparkling Water is also the 28th Gr1 winner for her deceased sire and she joins the likes of Do You Remember, Field Flower, Flirtation, Happy Valentine, Nightingale, Orchid Island, Silver Mountain, Silver Darling, Silvano’s Pride, and former Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding as a G1 winning daughter of Silvano.
Silvano has sired more July winners than any other sire in the history of the race, a further tribute to the outstanding success he enjoyed as a sire in South Africa.
Following Sparkling Water’s landing Saturday’s R2.94 million first prize, Silvano has laid down a strong challenge to his son Vercingetorix, who currently heads South Africa’s General Sires List, and this year’s Champion Sire title chase could well go down to the wire.
However, Silvano’s success on Saturday was not limited to Sparkling Water’s impressive July win.
His daughter Marina and Silver Darling finished second and third respectively in Saturday’s Gr1 Brentford FC Garden Province Stakes, while Silvano is also sire of Imperial Ruby and Smoking Hot who finished third and fourth in Saturday’s Gr3 DSTV Gold Vase. Another son of Silvano, Silvano’s Timer, finished third in Saturday’s Listed Compendium Insurance Brokers Handicap, when beaten under a length by the winner.