Trainer Stephen Gray was seriously toying with the idea of a two-pronged attack in the Singapore Gold Cup after Silver Element and Decimus ran the quinella in Sunday’s $75,000 Kranji Stakes C Emirates London Stakes (2200m).
Though slightly less fancied than Decimus (Vlad Duric), who beat him in third at their last encounter over another 2200m race on June 11, Silver Element (Mark Gallagher) turned the tables on his stablemate with another catch-me-if-you-can display that saw him prevail by a length.
Gallagher rode an astute race at the 1400m pole when he decided to wrest the lead from Coppa Del Mondo (Opie Bosson) who had tried to slow up the tempo. The Pentire four-year-old made every post a winning one from there on in, rallying stoutly under Gallagher’s persuasive ride to chalk up his fourth win from 15 starts and stakes in excess of $170,000 for the Sterling Silver Stable.
Silver Element wins Race 8 on Sunday under the guidance of Mark Gallagher.
The winning time was 2min 16.44secs, just a little over a second over Recast’s course record registered in the Singapore Gold Cup in 2007.
Gray had in truth always found it hard to split the pair, but conceded he did have a query over Decimus backing up from a hard run three weeks ago while Silver Element ($30) had had the benefit of a freshen.
“I’m just so proud of both of them. I’ll give both of them a break after today and bring them back for the Gold Cup,” said Gray.
“I thought both had very good chances today, but Silver Element probably had a freshness edge over Decimus.
“I actually was in two minds about setting Decimus for the Derby and gave him a run in that 1800m race (Yew Tee Classic) but realised he was probably not good enough for the Derby.
“I spoke with (owner Tang) Weng Fei and he agreed with me. He just didn’t have the same turn of foot as he took a while to wind up.
“That tells me he has probably come to the end of a tough campaign and fully deserves a break, just like Silver Element.
“Mark even told me Silver Element should go for the Gold Cup. It’s a handicap race over 2200m and I reckon he will be a good lightweight chance if he gets in.
“He’s by Pentire and out of a Marscay mare, so I think he’s got the right cross.”
The Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup is the most prestigious race on the domestic racing calendar and will be run on November 14.
Gray was even harbouring loftier dreams further afield for both stayers, especially Silver Element next year.
“I may even consider sending them to Melbourne next year. Silver Element would be a good two-miler,” said Gray, whose father Kevin saddled Daffodil in the Melbourne Cup last year.
“But let’s see how they go for the series here first. I wish there were enough races going for them.”
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