Bold Silvano stakes World Cup claim

In the Maktoum Challenge, Bold Silvano sauntered to the lead from the rail

and easily controlled proceedings in his synthetic debut. Godolphin's Spring for

Fame (Grand Slam) stalked in second until the backstretch, when Frankie Dettori

decided to make a move and struck the front. Soumillon sat chilly on Bold

Silvano, just waiting for the right time to turn him loose. That moment came

turning into the stretch, and Bold Silvano regained command without having to

work at all.

As the South African star strode clear, Soumillon kept looking over his

shoulders, ostensibly looking out for non-existent threats or likely just to

telegraph his mount's contemptuous superiority. He congratulated Bold Silvano

with a couple of pats on the shoulder nearing the wire, which he reached after

touring about 1 3/16 Tapeta miles in 1:57 3/5 without ever coming off the bridle. The 1

1/2-length winning margin was not indicative of his complete authority.

"We thought he would run well, but that was exceptionally pleasing," de Kock

said. "We have said the World Cup is his aim, and he will be back on Super

Thursday for the third round of the Al Maktoum Challenge ([UAE-G2] on March 3)."

Spring of Fame held second by 1 1/2 lengths from Argentinean Horse of the

Year Interaction (Easing Along), who was the only runner to make his presence

felt from off the pace. Unhurried early, Interaction closed well to nab Al

Shemali (Medicean) by a nose for third. Gitano Hernando (GB) (Hernando [Fr])

anchored the field in the opening stages and wound up another 1 1/4 lengths back

in fourth, followed by My Indy (Indygo Shiner), Crowded House (GB) (Rainbow

Quest), Trois Rois (Hernando [Fr]) and Silverside (Pleasantly Perfect).

With this smashing premiere on the international stage, Bold Silvano improved

his mark to 14-7-3-1 and increased his bankroll to $454,298. The five-year-old

bay has come a long way from his beginnings in Port Elizabeth in South Africa's

Eastern Cape. Then trained by Gavin Smith, Bold Silvano placed in his first two

stakes attempts, the East Cape Nursery and Dahlia Plate, but hinted that he was

ready for a higher-profile circuit after capturing the Champion Juvenile Cup

(SAf-G3) and the Racing Association S. in great style. He failed, however in his

three attempts at Kenilworth in Cape Town, including a sixth in the Cape Guineas

(SAf-G1) and a seventh in the Cape Derby (SAf-G1).

Transferred to de Kock, Bold Silvano found Kwazulu Natal a happier hunting

ground. He defeated older horses in the May 21 Greyville 1900 (SAf-G2), just

missed to stablemate Irish Flame (Dynasty) in the June 5 Daily News 2000

(SAf-G1), finished fourth to Orbison (Mogok) in the July 3 Champions Cup

(SAf-G1), and finally put it all together next time out in the Durban July. In

that coveted prize, he convincingly turned the tables on Irish Flame and Orbison,

and earned lofty praise from rider Anthony Delpech, who compared him favorably

to former Hong Kong standout Vengeance of Rain.

Bold Silvano was bred by Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd. in South Africa. His dam, the

stakes-placed Bold Saffron (Al Mufti), is a half-sister to Group 3 winner and

multiple Group 1-placed Cape Saffron (Mullineaux) as well as multiple Group

1-placed Eastern Venture (Mullineaux).

"We were very hopeful and that was a good performance," de Kock said.

"The U.A.E. Oaks ([UAE-G3] on February 24) will be the next target."

Reem stayed on for runner-up honors, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of the Herman

Brown-trained Chocolicious (Kahal [GB]), who thwarted a de Kock/Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa

trifecta. Just a half-length back in fourth was their third-string runner,

Empire Rose (Sunray Spirit). Abtasaamah retreated to fifth in the eight-filly

field.

Last season's champion two-year-old filly in South Africa, Mahbooba boosted

her earnings to $229,564 from her 6-4-1-1 record. The bay won her first two

outings, a Greyville maiden last March and the April 27 Debutante S. (SAf-G2),

before finishing third to Chocolicious in the May 29 Allan Robertson

Championship (SAf-G1). Mahbooba rebounded in her South African finale, rolling

to a 2 1/4-length score in the July 3 Golden Slipper S. (SAf-G1) to clinch

divisional honors, and did not reappear until the aforementioned Guineas Trial.

The Australian-bred was produced by the Red Ransom mare Sogha, herself a

three-quarter sister to multiple French Group 3 victor Slew the Red (Red

Ransom). Mahbooba's fifth dam is multiple stakes heroine Great Lady M. (Icecapade),

later famous as the dam of Hall of Famer Lady's Secret (Secretariat), the 1986

Horse of the Year.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa, de Kock and Soumillon teamed up successfully

again in the next race, courtesy of Star Empire. Reeling in the front-running

Calvados Blues (Lando [Ger]) in the final yards, the five-year-old gelding

prevailed by a neck and completed about 1 1/2 miles on the good turf in 2:36

3/5. Calvados Blues reported home three-quarters of a length ahead of fellow

Godolphin colorbearer Peligroso (Trempolino). Yet Godolphin's second- and

third-place showings were dimmed by the thoroughly disappointing effort turned

in by the operation's first-stringer Buzzword (GB) (Pivotal), who dropped right

out of contention and checked in eighth of nine.

Star Empire had concluded his South African career with a three-race winning

streak for former trainer Dennis Drier, capped by a victorious stakes debut in

the August 7 Darley Arabian S. at Clairwood. He joined de Kock for a Dubai

campaign, which began promisingly enough with a third to subsequent Maktoum

Challenge Round 2 runner-up Spring of Fame in a January 20 handicap on Tapeta.

Star Empire has now compiled a 13-5-0-4 resume and deposited $159,858 in his

account.

De Kock's other winner on the evening, Mohammed Khaleel Ahmed's Warsaw, got

up under a well-timed ride by Kevin Shea. The six-year-old chestnut, who had

been unplaced in his first two runs during the Carnival, denied Godolphin's

Quick Wit (Oasis Dream [GB]) by a neck in a tightly-grouped finish. Warsaw

covered about seven grassy furlongs in 1:14 to advance his scorecard to

20-6-1-1, $366,513. Southern California invader Ferneley (Ire) (Ishiguru) was a

non-threatening seventh in the 11-horse field.

Runner-up Alazeyab (El Prado [Ire]) staved off the late-running Mutheeb (Danzig)

by three-quarters of a length, while Our Giant couldn't rally strongly enough

from the rear and came another neck away in fourth. Inxile folded to fifth of 12

across the line.

The seven-year-old Dynamic Blitz has reached the plateau of all-weather

racing at his Sha Tin base, and scant opportunities remain there for a performer

of his caliber on the surface. In his most recent start on November 14, he

lugged 133 pounds in a Class 1 handicap and was beaten a scant nose and neck in

third. Trainer Yiu thus sought the more inviting vistas of Dubai for his

synthetic specialist, and Dynamic Blitz has proven the wisdom of that move

already. His record now stands at 27-9-2-1, $615,001, including three wins and

two seconds for original trainer Lee Freedman in his Australian homeland.

Bred by D.P. Eslin and G.R. Hodgkinson, Dynamic Blitz is a half-brother

multiple Australian Group 1-winning sire Reset (Zabeel), Group 3 scorer So

Assertive (Zabeel) and Group 3-placed Assertive Choice (Redoute's Choice). They

are all out of multiple Group 1 queen Assertive Lass (Zeditave), a full sister

to two-time Australian champion Assertive Lad. This is the family of Japanese

Grade 1 victor Meisho Doto (Bigstone [Ire]) and Grade 1 heroine First Approach

(Northern Fling), herself the dam of multiple Grade 2 winner and stakes producer

Alice Springs (Val de l'Orne).

Bred by JMJ Racing Stables in Kentucky, Lord of the Stars was first sold for

$105,000 as a Keeneland November weanling. He is out of the unraced Forestry

mare Charmant Forest, a full sister to Grade 3-winning sire Forest Grove and a

half-sister to multiple Grade 1 diva and $1.7 million-earner Tout Charmant (Slewvescent).

Further back, he hails from the same female line as champion sprinter and sire

Artax (Marquetry).

Trainer Marco Botti didn't get the hoped-for result from Gitano Hernando in

the Maktoum Challenge, but received a consolation prize when the filly LOLAMAR

(Martino Alonso) bravely lasted in a three-way photo against males in the

nightcap. Making her first start for the yard, the four-year-old rallied to the

lead in the stretch for Mickael Barzalona and held on by a diminishing short

head from Shimmering Moment (Afleet Alex), with Senate (Pivotal) another neck

back in third. By negotiating about 10 furlongs in 2:03 2/5 on the turf, Lolamar

more than doubled her earnings to $193,207 from a 12-4-2-0 line. Sixth in the

October 9 Premio Verziere (Ity-G3) when last seen, she had just missed in the

June 27 Premio Mario Incisa (Ity-G3) two starts ago.