Sat | Apr 1, 2023

Silver Cloud wins Ronron Trophy

Published:Saturday | November 7, 2015 | 12:00 AMOrville Clarke
Jermaine Barnaby
TASHIE BABY (right) with jockey Hakeem Pottinger secures a 1 3/4 length victory over LAZZA, with jockey Shamaree Muir, in the Maiden Special Weight race at Caymanas Park yesterday.

The grey colt SILVER CLOUD, running at odds of 7-2 with title-chasing jockey Robert Halledeen riding for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, upstaged the front-running 6-5 favourite ROYAL ASSAULT to win the inaugural running of the Ronron Trophy over 1200 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

The race was run in honour of the crack imported filly RONRON, who won a string of grade one races for owner Kenval Wallace and trainer Gary Subratie five or so years ago. RONRON won 10 races from 16 starts for Subratie in 2010 and 2011.

This, however, was a fitting win for DaCosta as RONRON ended her career with the 14-time champion after a brief stint with him.

SILVER cloud, who was notching his second consecutive win with Halledeen in the saddle, bided his time in third, passing the half mile as ROYAL ASSAULT, with star apprentice Linton Steadman, led under pressure from the well-backed ROAD WI SEH (9-5) until disposing of him on entering the straight. But SILVER CLOUD, who was always in touch, soon found his best strides and closed smoothly on the rails to overhaul ROYAL ASSAULT midway the last furlong, going on to beat him by 2 1/2 lengths in the good time of 1:12.0 behind splits of 22.3, 45.4 for the first half-mile.

The 34-1 outsider, DREAMCOMETRUE, closed rapidly for third in a field of 12 native-bred three-year-olds.

Owned by the trainer's wife, Elizabeth DaCosta, SILVER CLOUD is by He'stherealthing out of the Royal Minister mare Preach Preacher and bred by the trainer.

DaCosta said he was pleased by his progress and is looking forward to further successes in the months ahead.

 

superstakes

 

Looking to the immediate future, DaCosta is hoping his luck will change in this Saturday's rich and prestigious Burger King Superstakes, over 2000 metres, the only major race that has eluded him in a long and distinguished career.

"I will run three horses in the Superstakes - PERFECT NEIGHBOUR, HOVER CRAFT, and ROYAL VIBES," he disclosed.

"I think I have a really good chance of finally breaking the ice with the 2013 derby and St Leger winner, PERFECT NEIGHBOUR, who has done everything asked of him coming into the race," he added.

Halledeen again has the ride aboard the recent Gold Cup hero.