Silent Achiever Sounds Group 1 Warning

7 February 2012

Silent Achiever

O’Reilly filly Silent Achiever staked her claim for New Zealand Derby honours at Te Rapa on Saturday with a top-class victory in the Gr 3 Waikato Guineas. The Roger James-trained three-year-old wasn’t originally nominated for the Derby but her defeat of favourite Ocean Park has put her right in the frame for the Ellerslie feature.

“It was a big win and I’ve got huge respect for the second horse, but I said all week I wasn’t going to concede to him,” James said. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in my filly and all credit to her as it was 35 days between runs and she’s still on the improve.”

Silent Achiever, who had claimed the Gr 2 Championship Stakes at Ellerslie at her previous appearance, has now won three of her five starts. Out of the Zabeel mare Winning Spree, she is raced by her Christchurch breeder Kevin Hickman, who also owns and operates the Valachi Downs thoroughbred nursery at Matamata.

WS-breds shine at the Racing Victoria Off The Track Carnival

Last weekend saw many retired racehorses and their careers compete in various disciplines, and one star who shone brightly was Eden Pearson’s 10-year-old ott horse, Tango. Once racing as Does It (Pins ex Just Be Cos), Tango raced 45 times, winning on five occasions and accumulating prizemoney of $275,550 before retiring in June 2024.

13 September 2026

David Hayes’ Absolute Awakened wins at Sha Tin

With Hong Kong’s new season just two weeks in, it wasn’t long before the progeny of Ardrossan stepped into the winners’ circle and at the second Sha Tin race meeting of the season, it was David Hayes’ Absolute Awakened who won by a length over 1400m.