Silver Sanctuary posts well-deserved Grade 1 win

She was touched off in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas and bridesmaid on two occasions to her accomplished stablemate Gimme A Nother, but Silver Sanctuary’s biggest Grade 1 chance came in Saturday’s Woolavington 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville and she rose to the occasion!

Silver Sanctuary gave Mike de Kock his 138th Grade 1 winner, while Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud also enjoyed a brilliant result. After winning the race with Oh Susanna in 2018, and Silver Darling (2022), both with Justin Snaith, and then the Sean Tarry-trained Rain In Holland (2023),  Drakenstein celebrated a 1-2 on Saturday with Silver Sanctuary holding off the year older Gold Standard daughter, Hold My Hand, who races out of Glen Kotzen’s yard.

It was another superb ride by Richard Fourie, who chalked up the 310^th victory of a record-setting term, when he capitalised on a 1 draw and stalked the leader Bellevarde, before slipping through down the inside rail and stealing an early march, in a courageous show of bravado by horse and rider.

Fourie said: “She’s not the tallest and she’s still a bit immature, but it was a brave win, and the 1 draw made a difference.

Mike praised assistant Michael Nzilana who held the fort at Summerveld when he was away in the US and said that his former assistant Nathan Kotzen also kept an eye on Silver Sanctuary the last 10 days. 

“Thanks to Gaynor Rupert and Kevin Sommerville, for their patience. I have a proper crew in the pit lane too, and a big thanks to my team. It was also a tactically sound ride by Richard Fourie,” said Mike.

Sommerville said it was a great honour to win a race of this stature, and thanked the De Kock team, the sponsors, and Gold Circle.

A full-sister to past Daily News 2000 winner Safe Passage, Silver Sanctuary is a daughter of our late multiple champion sire Silvano (Lomitas) out of the well-performed Antonius Pius mare, My Sanctuary.

There will be decisions to be made as to whether Silver Sanctuary will be aimed at the the Hollywoodbets Durban July or Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes.