Silver Lad fourth at Royal Ascot

Press, 22 June 1978, Page 15

Silver Lad fourth at Royal Ascot

NZPA London The New Zealand galloper Silver Lad ran a creditable fourth in top company in the $29,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot yesterday in his first start in England. The Silver Dream-Leta Filou horse, which was New Zealand’s champion staying three-year-old last season, was carrying top-weight for the 2000 m group II race — a penalty incurred by virtue of his good record in Australia and New Zealand in winning the New Zealand Derby, and the Australasian Championship Stakes in Sydney. Partnered by Willie Carson, Silver Lad settled down in second to last place after the start but slipped back early to last. In the middle stages he went wide in the sevenhorse field on a run that took him up to fourth. But he dropped back again. Entering the straight he made a second attempt to get up, this time looking for an opening which never appeared as he battled home behind the 4 to 5 favourite, Gunner B, Fluellen (10 to 1) and Malacite (13 to 2). Unfancied at 10 to 1 in the early betting, he drifted

to 14 to 1 shortly before the start as punters grew nervous about his handicap and his complete absence of form in Britain. Silver Lad’s British trainer, lan Balding, said after the race he was “delighted with the run.” Balding had predicted to the NZPA last week that his new charge was virtually being thrown in at the deep end and would face a tough task in his first Northern Hemisphere start. “He’s run a smashing race,” • Balding said afterwards. “I think he’ll be at his best at the longer distance of 2400 m but on that performance he’s not far behind Balmerino.” Balding said Silver Lad had had some difficulty adjusting to the change in seasons — trying to grow a winter coat in the northern spring — and had recently been sweating heavily in the warm weather.

i “But he seems to be over that now and on that perI formance he should im- ! prove.” His next scheduled start is I in the Eclipse Stakes at ' Sandown early next month, but that race is again over 2000 m and Balding said “a i stronger gallop would suit i him much better.” After the Eclipse he will i be set for the King George i VI and Queen Elizabeth Diai mond Stakes at Ascot late in July, where he will almost ; certainly clash with Balmerino. Balmerino, a disappointing (second in the [Coronation Cup at Epsom! [ earlier this month, is to line I iup at Royal Ascot on Fri- [ day. ! He starts in the Hard-; liwicke Stakes in a class field II which includes the Queen’s i! horse, Dunfermline, and ' | Smuggler, the horse BalmHerino beat into third place at [Epsom.