Silver Eye has been one of the most consistent horses in training during the winter months and Adam Durrant may well keep him in work on the back of another convincing victory at Belmont on Saturday.
The Oakland Park homebred had won on a Heavy 8 a fortnight ago and made light work of the Vale Joan Parnham Hcp (1200m) despite the steadier of 60kg on a Soft 5. “Adam was confident he could lead comfortably,” stable foreman Jordan Rolfe said. “He had a nice kick at the end so there’s no reason why he can’t keep running.”
Silver Eye (Photo / Western Racepix) can be fierce in front but settled beautifully to score by over a length from Patron Of Kings (King’s Troop) and Keep Attacking (Snippetson). “I would rather we had cover but I couldn’t see any on paper,” winning jockey Lucy Fiore said after bringing the short-priced favourite back to scale.
“I had a lot of horse underneath me coming to the turn and he ran right through the line.”
Silver Eye is a 4yo son of Sessions and has banked $196,000 with Westspeed kicking in bonuses of $70,000 for Oakland Park owners Neville and Susan Duncan who race him in partnership with Durrant.
They bought his Sydney-winning dam Sisken (Medaglia D’oro) for $160,000 from Godolphin at the 2019 Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale.
European Stakes winners go right down the pedigree page below Sisken’s second-dam Blue Note (Habitat) who was a Group 2 winner of the 1988 Prix Maurice de Gheest (1300m) with Gary Moore in the saddle for trainer Criquette Head at Deauville.
Sessions (Lonhro) stands at Oakland Park and he’s off to flyer this season with Belmont winners Silver Eye (2), Sensessional (2), Drinks On Me, The Top Bar and Lova Session.
The Duncans have also weighed in with homebred sprinter-miler Triple Jay (Street Boss) who goes into the LR Farnley Quality (1400m) this Saturday looking to nail a picket-fence at Belmont for Pearce Racing. His stablemate Decoration (Epaulette) is gunning for a running double at Belmont this Wednesday. He sports the Oakland Park XX5 brand and has opened a $2.70 favourite for the Mrs Macs Hcp (1400m).
Oakland Park was also honoured at the WA Thoroughbred Racing Awards on August 17 when its homebred G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) winner Bustling (Frosted) was crowned 2023-24 WA Champion Two-Year-Old.
Sessions stands for $8,800 at Oakland Park alongside newcomer Ingratiating ($9,000) and Shooting To Win ($9,900). All fees (inc GST). For bookings or further information, call Neville Duncan (0417 200 097) or stud manager Adrian Brown (0438 944 299).
