Trainer Tony Gollan is taking the blame for Silvera’s disappointing start to the spring and expects the horse to improve significantly when he tackles the Listed Recognition Stakes at a rain-sodden Gold Coast.
The gelding finished down the track in two early-season runs so Gollan pulled up stumps and went back to the drawing board.
Silvera returned from a let-up with an unplaced last-start effort behind stablemate Tambo’s Mate over an unsuitable 1200 metres and Gollan expects him to be much better suited by the 1400m of the Recognition Stakes, along with a wet track.
“In the couple of runs I gave him in the spring, it was probably trainer error,” Gollan said.
“He just didn’t have the right races and I rushed him a touch, then we probably rode him upside down over the mile.
“I thought his first-up run (last start) was very good over 1200. He will be much better suited at 1400 and much better suited out to a mile. The wet conditions will be a big plus for him.”
Silvera will be Gollan’s only runner in the feature with Tambo’s Mate to be scratched in favour of a Sydney assignment.
Gollan is likely to have three runners in the Listed Eureka Stud Classic (1200m) with Miami Fleiss unlikely to take her place on the heavy track.
Glitter Strip and Starosa both resume in the race and are expected to improve deeper into their respective campaigns, while Lyrical Girl faces a distance test after winning her past two starts over 1050 metres at Doomben.
“Lyrical Girl is on trial at the trip a little bit but she is in good form and she’s a Your Song so she will handle the ground,” Gollan said.
Wet track specialist Wandabaa is a $3.80 favourite for the fillies and mares’ feature after finishing an outstanding second to Lost And Running in The Hunter last start.
The Kris Lees-trained mare gets into the race well under the set weights plus penalties conditions as she searches for a breakthrough black-type win.
“It’s a lovely race for her and she loves the wet so there are a few positives there,” Lees said.
