Triumph Hurdle: Silver Shade justifies trainer Milton Harris' faith with Kempton win to set up shot at Cheltenham
Silver Shade beats Cuban Cigar and Dirham Emirati on hurdles debut for trainer Milton Harris; Triumph Hurdle trial could be next at Cheltenham on January 29; stablemate Knight Salute on track for Adonis at Kempton
Saturday 15 January 2022 13:36, UK
Milton Harris had made no secret of the regard in which he holds Silver Shade ahead of his debut in the Play Coral “Racing-Super-Series”For Free Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton Park, and the four-year-old duly dotted up.
The former Mark Johnston-trained inmate saw off his five rivals with a bit to spare in the two-mile contest, the first on A card that had to survive three inspections because of heavy morning fog.
However, while his hurdling left something to work on - a blunder at the third-last seemed to wake him up - his overall performance ultimately lifted any gloom and he may now head to the Triumph Hurdle.
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Having burned off the long-time leader Dirham Emirati, the 9/2 chance jumped the last clear and repelled the late thrust of Cuban Cigar to score by a cosy length-and-three-quarters.
Harris said: "I have made no secret that I like him. He is a bit different to Knight Salute in that he is a different type - a big, strong horse. He has always done everything right.
"His jumping can be improved upon. The ground for these young horses could be quite tiring. I know the Moores liked their horse (Dirham Emirati), but I was quite surprised to see Richard Hannon's (Cuban Cigar) being so close up, but he was OK on the Flat. This is a nice horse."
He added: "He came here last week for a gallop and he has jumped OK at home, if a little too carefully.
"He is a nice horse, who has plenty of size and scope. He might just go to Cheltenham for the Triumph Hurdle trial on 29th, but we are running out of time. I wanted to run him a while ago and he just didn't come to us in time.
"Knight Salute will likely come to Kempton for the Adonis. We might just be in a year where we have the best horses in not the best year.
"This horse was £18,000 and Knight Salute was £14,000.
"You have to dream. He could be a Triumph Hurdle horse. I would be more aggressive with him now. He knows how to race, but his jumping is a bit careful. He has jumped 60 to 80 hurdles at home, but that will sharpen him up."
