Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Delpech’s ride gave Bold Silvano the edge

David Thiselton
Anthony Delpech gave Vodacom Durban July winner, the Mike de Kock-trained Bold Silvano, a faultless ride in the big race on Saturday and used the one advantage he knew he had over the only horse he feared, Irish Flame, to perfection. “Bold Silvano had a fantastic preparation,” he said before elaborating to say that from day one until the July there had not been one hitch and everything had gone perfectly. “I have never in my career had a better association with a horse than I’ve had with Bold Silvano for the last three months. I was very bullish.”
Only two things now stood in Delpech’s path, the luck of the draw and the brilliant Irish Flame. “When Bold Silvano drew two I was so happy I nearly cried ,” he revealed. “The only horse I feared was Irish Flame, but there was one advantage I knew I had. I knew that Bold Silvano had a superior turn of foot.” Delpech used Bold Silvano’s early speed to outstrip pole-positioned horse Service Ace from the start and secure a perfect position on the rail in about fifth place as one of his six stable companions, Red Rake, tore to the front and set the blistering pace that any good horse appreciates.
Irish Flame, under Kevin Shea, found a position on Bold Silvano’s flank and now it was just a case of keeping their horses relaxed and balanced until the 450m of the straight.Kevin Shea switched his horse outward on the final turn to go around the fading Flying Tristram and struggling Aslan. Meanwhile, Bold Silvano and Delpech were moving supremely well on the rail on the inside of Flying Tristram with the fading Red Rake a few lengths ahead of him.
Love Is In The Air, who made her move before the final turn, had just taken the lead on the outside of Red Rake. Delpech made his move at about the 400m mark, letting Bold Silvano go and driving him towards the centre of the straight. The turn of foot was instant and as he had predicted was the crucial factor that won him the race as he stole a length on Irish Flame, who was positioned a number of horse-widths wider. Shea responded but it was too late and try as he might he could not make up the ground and was still a length back at the line.
Delpech praised De Kock after the race calling him “a genius” and said that he felt it was a privilege to be the yard’s second choice jockey.
Bold Silvano will head for Dubai now and it will be interesting to see whether Delpech keeps the ride over there. De Kock spoke of South African racing having now surpassed its previous status as “an emerging horseracing country” and said that the world was “watching us”. He reckoned that if the unfair restrictions placed on the travel of our horses were lifted it would see our racing becoming a major force. He added that the overseas feats of Lizard’s Desire had given our racing a huge boost and believed that Bold Silvano might even be a better prospect.

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