Silent Achiever Sounds Group 1 Warning

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.