Have faith in Silicone
IDEAL: 14OOM PINNACLE STAKES RACE LOOKS THE RIGHT ONE TO BE IN ʂ Turbulent Air could come storming home.
Silicone Valley has run some superb races this year but has failed to be rewarded with a victory. However, trainer Glen Puller appears to have found the perfect race for his charge at Kenilworth tomorrow.
This seven-year-old son of Jay Peg lines up in Race 6, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m.
He has not won over the distance although both of his attempts have seen him run second. However, he is the best handicapped runner in this event and his form looks far better than his rivals. In December he ran in the Grade 2 Cape Merchants over 1200m at Kenilworth and he ran on well to finish second, beaten just 0.50 lengths by Search Party.
His next race was in the Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1600m and he finished fifth, beaten just 4.55 lengths by unquestionably the best miler in the country – Legal Eagle. The quality of that effort is backed up by the future form of the three others who finished in front of him – Grade 1 Gold Challenge winner Captain America, Grade 1 Champions Cup first-placed Sail South and Vodacom Durban July champion Marinaresco.
His next start was the NonBlack Type Cape Mile in which he flew late but went down 0.75 lengths to Victorious Jay.
Puller then rested his charge until mid-June when he came out in two successive Pinnacle Stakes, finishing a 1.25-length second behind Black Cat Back over 1400m and then a 0.70-length second to Power Grid over 1200m, despite losing ground at the start and having to ease late.
This is his third race after a layoff, he is the best handicapped runner by at least 2.5kg and looks very hard to oppose. Piet Botha takes the ride again.
The next three places look to be a battle between Catkin, Turbulent Air and Heartland, all of whom are closely handicapped. Catkin is held by Silicone Valley on their run behind Black Cat Back as is Heartland so the horse who could be the biggest threat to Silicone Valley is Turbulent Air.