Diamond for Silver

The result for the turf division of the two-year-old G.S.R. Diamond over the mile on Saturday was as unpredictable as the market suggested, with the winner Very Silver paying $11.50 for a win. Raised On Royalty, Awesome Angel and Shakelo were the early leaders, with Japans Last Hope(JPN) and Very Silver just in behind. At the half-way point, Very Silver, under G. Kehl, began a forward move and hit the front just after they had gone five furlongs. His jockey kept him up to his task in the home stretch and he won by one and three-quarter lengths. Always Improving chased him home under K. Dauenhauer, but could never reach the winner. Third was Vermont Victory, who ran on well from back in the field.

The favourite, Skills In Magic, ran on from the rear of the field, but could not get nearer than fifth, beaten eight and a half lengths. Awesome Angel, Dynamite Secret and Wonder Lawn disappointed here, whereas the outsider Change O’ Luck(AUS) ran better than expected to finish in mid-division.

This win was only the second of his career for the eye-catching grey son of Silver Ghost, but it sent him to number one in the rankings for classic and long two-year-old colt divisions on the turf. Meanwhile, Skills In Magic, previously ranked ninth in the two-year-old colts turf classic division, dropped out of the top ten to number fourteen and Awesome Angel, previously eighth, dropped down to twelfth. Second-placed Always Improving went up to number four on both the classic and long divisions and Vermont Victory came up to number nine.