When favourite Marinaresco (Silvano) lines up in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate a week from Saturday, he will be looking to fill one of the only gaps on his illustrious sire’s resume.

Champion Sire in South Africa in 2013, Silvano is well established as one of the country’s elite stallions.
Not only do his progeny excel on the racecourse, but Silvano yearlings are highly sought after in the sales ring (Silvano is sire of Silver Coin –the most expensive yearling ever sold at a South African auction).

Remarkably, however, this great sire is yet to be represented by a LQP winner. Silvano, who has been represented by 17 individual Gr1 winners to date, has enjoyed success in the majority of South Africa’s top feature races, with his progeny having won such races as the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July (3 times), Gr1 SA Derby (twice), Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas (twice), Gr1 J&B Met, Gr1 Champions Cup, the Gr1 Summer Cup (twice), Gr1 Gold Cup (twice), Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship, Gr1 Daily News 2000, Gr1 Presidents Champions Challenge, Gr1 Woolavington 2000 and Gr1 SA Classic.

He has often dominated the finish to Gr1 races, with Silvano sired runners filling the first three placings in the 2015 Gr1 Vodacom Durban July (Power King, Punta Arenas, Tellina) and three of the first four placings in the 2010 Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup (Flirtation, Rudi Rocks, Aslan).

Silvano could be represented by two runners in the 2017 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, with Marinaresco and St Tropez both potential contenders. Silvano’s champion son, and former July winner, Bold Silvano, could also be represented in the LQP, with his 3yo son Bold Rex (from his sire’s very first crop of racing age) among the entries.

Could 2017 be Silvano’s year to dominate the LQP?