On the first Golden Slipper day in The Championships era, the brightest star was undoubtedly Silent Achiever, who won The BMW (2400m, Group 1, weight-for-age).
Against some of the best horses in Australasia, the Kiwi showed she has blossomed into an outstanding mare.
Her trainer Roger James had thought for a long time that Silent Achiever, the winner of the 2012 New Zealand Derby (2400m, Group 1, three-year-olds), was too immature to race in a pair of blinkers.
Blinkers aim to focus a horse’s mind-set on racing but there is always a risk that their application will have a horse waste energy by pulling for extra rein during the middle stages of a race.
According to James, Silent Achiever was ready to race in the hood in the 2013 Melbourne spring. But because the mare rose in distance each spring start, he feared blinkers would have her racing too keen.
Some horses can struggle to settle when they rise in distance (as a rule, mid-race pace decreases as distances increase) so James kept the gear change up his sleeve.
Between her emphatic 2012 Derby victory and the start of the 2014 autumn, Silent Achiever won once in 14 starts. The last eight of those 14 starts were at Group 1 level in Australia, where her best results were a slashing second in the 2013 BMW and two fourths.
Autumn has transformed Silent Achiever into a super racehorse. The addition of the hood was always intended to flick a mental switch but it has had the added benefit of helping the mare settle closer to the lead in her races.
Silent Achiever has now claimed four wins on the trot; the last three at Group 1 level since wearing blinkers. She is now a four-time Group 1 winner and the ultimate professional.
Pre-race on Saturday she was so easy to watch. In the race-day stalls she was half asleep, waiting patiently for her turn. In the mounting yard, she paraded in outstanding health. Whatever sun peaked through the cloud cover beamed off her brown coat.
Thinking of the Silent Achiever I saw on Saturday, it’s incredible she was too immature for a pair of blinkers 12 months ago.
During the race, she travelled easily for jockey Nash Rawiller. She showed enough early speed to race close to the lead before settling sweetly in a midfield position down the back straight.
But the most impressive part of her performance was the last 400m of her race. Not only did she give It’s A Dundeel – perhaps the most decorated horse in the Southern Hemisphere – a hammering between the 350 and 250m marks, but she more than held her advantage over the chasing pack in the final furlong.
Atlantic Jewel’s Memsie (1400m, Group 1, weight-for-age) annihilation aside, this was the most complete weight-for-age performance in Australia this season.
Silent Achiever beat a similar field in the Ranvet (2000m, Group 1, weight-for-age) two weeks ago, but she wasn’t as nearly as impressive as Saturday. She has improved with each run this preparation.
James is on the record as saying the $1m Sydney Cup (3200m, Group 1, handicap) is Silent Achiever’s Championships aim. A strong performance would see her in good stead for a Melbourne Cup (3200m, Group 1, handicap) campaign later in the year.
But the Silent Achiever camp would be crazy not to run in the $4m Queen Elizabeth (2000m, Group 1, weight-for-age) on the same day.
Not only would she be incredibly hard to beat in the richer Queen Elizabeth, but a dominant victory would open plenty of doors. Silent Achiever would surely have to be the April favourite for October’s Cox Plate (2040m, Group 1, weight-for-age).
Of the beaten brigade in The BMW, It’s A Dundeel was at a campaign-best level in second place. He was completely destroyed by Silent Achiever in the straight – and it shouldn’t be forgotten he was bludging out the back when the mare was racing in midfield in the middle stages – but he showed his class in the final furlong by getting into the runner-up position.
He’ll need to find two lengths before he can even think about beating the mare at Randwick but he does have an outstanding record at headquarters – three victories (two at Group 1 level) and a second from four starts. Will the Queen Elizabeth be the four-year-old Kiwi stallion’s last race?
Fiorente, in third place, was pretty disappointing. He was under pressure at the 600m mark, got himself into the fight at the 300m, and then was passed easily by It’s A Dundeel at the death. This is not the same horse who assaulted the finish line each time we saw him race in 2013.
Fiorente’s loss of form can be attributed to one of two reasons – either the six-year-old reached his career peak in the spring and is now on a downward spiral, or he isn’t happy at the moment.
If the truth lies in the latter, is Fiorente being bothered by a minor niggling injury? Until the Ranvet, he had never disappointed in any of his Australian runs. On face value, his sudden drop in form is a mystery. Gai Waterhouse should run the Melbourne Cup winner in the Sydney Cup. Even an out-of-form Fiorente would be expected to claim the time-honoured prize.
Of the rest, the Group 1-winning Irish import Voleuse De Coeurs was a tad disappointing in fifth. She needs more ground. Sertorius was outstanding by his standards in fourth and Brigantin scored good marks at the unsuitable weight-for-age scale in sixth.
Multiple Group 1 winner Foreteller was again woeful in a long last-place finish. Is he crying out for retirement? Chris Waller will give the French import a long spell.
Jack
Guest
Roger's done a great job. Interesting Nash said on radio that Roger does things a little bit differently and he was learning from him and was interested to see how he handles her next. I've always admired him as a trainer, to have 4 NZ Derby winners is no mean feat. It will be interesting to see how she comes up in the Spring, she was only 2.5 lengths from the winner in the Caulfield Cup, on current form she would be very hard to beat in that.
Justin Cinque
Expert
Yes, Trent I agree. I also thought she was a length off. She's a new mare right now. Absolutely - plenty of Group 1s left to win for her.
Justin Cinque
Expert
Not a problem horse lover. I'm glad that article has helped. Star Stable is plenty of fun when your stable fires!
Trent Masenhelder
Roar Guru
Terrific piece Justin. I've been blown away by how much she's come on this campaign. I'm first to put my hand up and admit I always had her pegged as a a bit of an enigma who would always flash home or be desperately unlucky. Before her Ranvet Stakes win I said on the radio show I work on in Dubai: "She's very good but not an A-grader, probably a length behind the likes of Fiorente and It's A Dundeel." How wrong I was. Rapt to she the improvement and consistency. I've always admired trainer, Roger James. His emotion after winning The BMW on Saturday is what it's all about. Reckon she'll be a very good broodmare. But more G1 wins in front of her, first.
Luke Andrews
Guest
Bad news to hear. A shame he didn't get a send off as he was a great horse. He would suit the Japanese market, hopefully he becomes a dual hemisphere stallion and we get full use of his valuable genetics.
kv joef
Guest
Fair dink'um. that really is bad racing news. he is a Monsun (novellist) and the good ones (like him) are currently are worth thrice their weight in gold. as suggested, his racing career might be done and dusted. what a shame. i hope we can keep him for stud but have a feeling the japanese might want to look at him - he is their type of horse like novellist.
Scuba
Guest
That is bad news. Would it be so hard for the Fairfax reporter writing the story about the retirement not to refer to Fiorente as "it"? The article even talks about a stud deal, so it should be fairly clear what sex he is.
Justin Cinque
Expert
He has been retired
Justin Cinque
Expert
Very disappointing news.
Justin Cinque
Expert
I'm a Sertorius fan as well. He went brilliantly. I don't think he went well enough to say he'd be able to beat those horses at WFA this autumn but the way he is going, he would be the perfect Caulfield Cup horse. I guess 'by his standards' means that he's a horse who is finding his feet at G1 WFA.
Scuba
Guest
Fiorente has done a tendon, out for the rest of the carnival.
horse lover
Guest
I like Silent Achiever and I put her in my star stable for the BMW. I had Fiorente , but had taken him out for some other horse the week before. Then when doing my stable last week, i was tossing up between Fiorente and Silent Achiever. I decided to go the mare cause of her win in the Ranvet, and I am so glad I did. BTW Justin when you did your article on who to put in your star stable, I read that. For the first time I am doing so much better than ever before, simply based on your article. So thanks. As I am not a punter, and do not study the form guide like punters do or speedmaps etc, for me the star stable, is always a challenge. It's something I do for fun, due to the fact I know I am against so many punters for the prize
andrew
Guest
Justin - no hiding im a big sertorious fan. interested in what you mean by 'his standards'. has he not now proved he belong at this level and can mix it with the best in the nation in G1 WFA level. I accept, he is a length or so off the top. but his run was super. he got squeezed at the start, made a mid-race move (this was a good option by Maloney, gutsy for a rider rarely seen in these races), carted the field up to angola, was left in front making his own way to middle from 600m, and still there in 2nd spot with 100m to go. totally entitled to tire. with any luck, or cosier run, he could/would/should have run 2nd. either way, it was super. I think he profiles perfect for a caul cup, and will not meet these horses in a hcp, where he would drop to about 54kg (on current rating). a tough, grinding on-pacer, proven at 2400, winner at caul, proven at WFA, mature old gelding, tough, injury free.
JC
Guest
It has been great to see Silent Achiever get these two G1 victories. She always had the class but I know from following her career that the trainer has had to be really patient with her. Finally she has matured and is now a WFA star. She was the pick of the yard for me in the BMW and will be hard to beat where ever she goes. I'd be prepared to give IADD another chance in the QE. His sectionals over the last 800 were better than Silent Achiever albeit he was coming from last and hadn't done much in the run. The ride he gets will be the key. He should be fully fit now and I'd expect him to be no worse the midfield. If he goes out the back again he'll be in an almost impossible position. After the Ranvet I thought Fiorente might have had enough and I'm pretty convinced now. His greatest asset is his acceleration but that's been blunted through all the racing he's had recently.
kv joef
Guest
sorry for talking to myself :) ... but just received the Off.Ratings and the NSW handicapper has bumped SA 5 pts to 118 (don't forget you have to minus the mare allowance). but BIG CALL on wet track form ... still v.hard to argue with after Saturday's dominance. someone just mentioned that they expected the improvement once they put blinkers on her ... particularly with a stallion chasing.
kv joef
Guest
Great piece Justin. Stunning victory by the mare on one of the best day's racing i've seen on a heavy track. Maybe Fiorente isn't as good in the wet (bad ground) as first thought but on seeing the run a few times i think maybe Haradasun might have picked it before the race. Hope it's not an injury or some other distraction. Our racing can't afford to lose a horse like him.
Bradman
Roar Rookie
I can't agree much more with this piece Justin. It was a seriously impressive run from Silent Achiever, and proves that shes the real deal, and her win in the Ranvet wasn't a one off. If she doesn't start in the QES I'll be a bit disappointed, it will be a far better and stronger race with her in it. This was easily the best Dundeel has run since the cox, but like you said, he still has a lot of ground to make up if he is to take out the QES. I think it says alot about the class of Fiorente that he can look disappointing yet still run 3rd in a race of that quality. if he shows any kind of the form we know he can produce, he will cruise home in the sydney cup. hell, even if he doesn't improve, he might just win anyway. He's that good. Really looking forward to the next couple of weeks!