There were no surprises in the Gr 1 Vodacom Durban July over 2200m at Greyville today as Bold Silvano (SAF) led home a 1-2 finish for trainer Mike de Kock after seeing off a strong challenge from stablemate Irish Flame (SAF). There was a scramble for the minor placings with Orbison (SAF) just edging out Service Ace (SAF).

The race went perfectly to plan for the de Kock team as pacemaker Red Rake ensured a genuine gallop for his more fancied stable companions, opening up a lead of some eight lengths in the early stages. Love Is In The Air settled in second ahead of Aslan and Flying Tristram with Bold Silvano travelling sweetly on the rails and Irish Flame racing alongside. Fort Vogue was next best ahead of Fabiani, Service Ace, River Jetez and Happy Valley as Orbison raced among the backmarkers, having dropped out from a poor draw, and Lizarre and Rudra brought up the rear.

Red Rake had done his job by the time they reached the straight and he quickly fell away as Love Is In The Air took over. The stage was merely being set for Bold Silvano, though, as he had turned for home travelling like a winner and he showed a decisive turn of of foot as soon as jockey Anthony Delpech asked for an effort. Irish Flame responded to the challenge and went after him, while Happy Valley came out of the pack to raise the prospect of a de Kock trifecta. Orbison was also chasing hard and Service Ace was running the race of his life.

It developed into a two-horse race over the last furlong, though, with Bold Silvano and Irish Flame pulling well clear of the rest and although Irish Flame briefly looked as if he might run down his stablemate, Bold Silvano simply kept on finding and had a length to spare at the line.

Both de Kock and Delpech were celebrating a third win in the country's premier race and the victory marked the climax of a remarkable journey for Bold Silvano, who had started his career in Port Elizabeth before moving to his current stable. He was always going to be a strong contender here after three good graded race efforts this winter and he becomes the first horse since Occult, 24 years ago, to complete the Greyville 1900 - Durban July double. A smooth mover with a powerful turn of foot, Bold Silvano has any number of options open to him, with the international stage now beckoning.

Irish Flame had narrowly held off Bold Silvano in the Daily News 2000 and might have been expected to have the upper hand over the extra furlong here. However, as well as he ran, he could not summon up enough finishing speed and found the form reversed quite emphatically here. He's had a great season nevertheless and is presumably another runner bound for overseas.

Orbison had emerged into the limelight from nowhere when storming home in the Champions Cup with Bold Silvano well beaten into fourth. He proved that win was no fluke with a decent run here, but he was always going to struggle to confirm the form with Bold Silvano on 1.5kg worse terms, especially given that he was poorly drawn. He's done enough to show that he belongs in the big league and it would be no surprise if trainer Herman Brown also takes him abroad next season.

Service Ace ran a blinder and he proved a point to the many detractors (including this scribe) who had questioned his presence in this line-up. He simply didn't have the form - on paper - to be competitive here, but he's been improving all season and his connections have every reason to look forward to his 4-year-old career with confidence.

Happy Valley has improved with gelding and he deserves a mention for a great effort in the circumstances. He's another one who looked to have a mountain to climb here, but he is getting better with every run and emerged from the race with plenty of credit.

3 b c Silvano (GER) - Bold Saffron by Al Mufti (USA)
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and Mrs G Thomson
Bred by Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd

Winning trainer: Mike de Kock

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