Halford hopeful with 'smart' Silaiyli

Trainer Michael Halford today hailed his Down Royal Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden winner Silaiyli as 'very smart' as the Aga Khan owned colt won comfortably under jockey Ronan Whelan.

The son of Olympic Glory was slow to start but finished strongly, eventually beating runner-up Sheer Chance which met trouble in-running, by four lengths.

Afterwards Halford said “he's very laidback and even today out of the stalls he was a slow learner and Ronan (Whelan) said he had to bustle him along to get him travelling.

"He could be a typical one of his Highness', a slow maturing horse, he has a beautiful nature and the penny is only starting to drop with him. He's probably a horse to keep improving and I was impressed with him today - I'd say he is a very smart horse.

"His first run in Naas he ran well and then I took him to Navan and I thought he'd run a big race and

“He got lost the second day at Navan when they went fast and they didn't stop but we went to Gowran and it was more like I was hoping he would do and he has improved from Gowran.

"He is a strong individual, just does the minimum at home and minds himself. He's an ideal racehorse with a great mind and the way he did that, I'll bide my time and see. I like them when they start going forward at this time of year. "

Quotes from Michael Graham