Steve Moran

Silvestros’ post impressive British win with intriguing filly

Heart Of Grace, a 2015 Heart’s Cry filly, won her 2000 metre maiden on debut in impressive fashion. She was purchased by agent Justin Bahen (Bahen Bloodstock), on behalf of the father and son owner-breeders, at the 2016 Hokkaido Select Yearling sales.

Thus it has been quite a journey for the Silvestros and, indeed, the 41 million yen (c. $500,000) filly who was bred by Northern Farm and who’s ventured from Japan to Newmarket and rewarded her owners for their patience.

And there might be more to come with trainer William Haggas’ wife Mauren telling Racing UK immediately post-race that the filly “was not wound up by any stretch” and jockey James Doyle telling Bahen she won despite still being very green.

“William thinks she’s an old fashioned staying filly who will keep improving and James has no doubt she’ll see out a mile and a half (2400m). Paul and Anthony were absolutely delighted and I’m wrapped for them,” Bahen said.

Heart Of Grace won the Goodwood maiden by a neck from Anasheed, a Frankel filly raced by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum. Bahen bought two Heart’s Cry fillies, at Northern Horse Park in 2016, for the Silvestros who raced the 2007 New Zealand Derby winner Redoute’s Dancer. The other is named Saint Diana, also with Haggas, and expected to debut shortly.

“The fillies were purchased with the long-term view that they could be mated, to Southern Hemisphere time with one of the top stallions in Europe and the progeny return to Australia,”
Bahen said.

Heart Of Grace’s win was also timely for the Japan Racing Horse Association (JRHA) which this week launched the 243 yearling- and 239 foal-strong catalogue for this year’s Select
Sale on Monday 9 July and Tuesday 10 July.

Her victory may not quite rival that of another recent Japanese-bred winner on English turf – Deep Impact’s unbeaten son Saxon Warrior, who won the 2,000 Guineas on 5 May or even
that of another Heart’s Cry Select Sale graduate – Yoshida who won the Group One Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs on the same day and who’s now bound for Royal Ascot.

However, it’s reasonably momentous that an Australian-owned and Japanese-bred and sold filly would win in England and hopefully it’s a portent for further Australian international
success this weekend with Merchant Navy stepping out at the Curragh today (Saturday) and Southern Legend poised to win the Kranji Mile in Singapore.

Both winning would be handy to replenish the travel bank and, as all punters know, there’s nothing quite like backing a winner when on tour. The collect always seems so much sweeter.

At the time of writing, no odds had been posted for the Curragh sprint. I’d probably be more inclined to back Merchant Navy at Royal Ascot before he goes around at likely prohibitive odds in the Greenlands Stakes. He faces a decent challenger in the Haggas trained Tasleet but really they might not see which way he went – in which case his odds will be slashed for the Royal meeting. Southern Legend looks the winner in Singapore. Hong Kong, Bali, Nusa Lembongan, Seoul and Phuket down; I’m now venturing to Sri Lanka and India and Greece in my somewhat circuitous route to Royal Ascot.

The sub-continental detour was on the recommendation of racing writing colleague Matt Stewart who clearly failed to factor in that Sri Lanka is monsoon ravaged at this time of the year and that northern India is sweltering under 45 degrees plus temperatures. Talk about backing a loser!

Thus I’ll deviate to southern India, take in some racing at Bangalore next week and keep you posted. Alas, but not surprisingly, given the weather there is no racing in Sri Lanka at this time of the year.

The past week in Phuket has been something of a revelation and a delight. Yes, delight is not necessarily a word you’d immediately associate with Phuket. However if you venture 20
or 30 minutes north of Patong, there is a veritable oasis of unspoiled beach called Layan.

And it’s only four kilometres from a great restaurant hub called Boat Avenue where at Drinks & Co, you can get a perfectly decent Head Over Heels 2016 Shiraz for around $20 which is
pretty darn good in this part of the world. So that’s the week’s travelling wine tip. Not as good a thing as Merchant Navy but OK nonetheless.

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