Tregoning eyeing Silver Tankard gold with Silverella

Marcus Tregoning is confident Silverella can hold her own at Listed level when she takes her chance in the British Stallion Studs EBF Silver Tankard Stakes at Pontefract on Monday.

The Frontiersman filly was an impressive winner of a novice event at Goodwood in late August and the form of that race has been franked, with the second Rhythm Of My Heart and third Roku Nana both going on to win since.

Silverella then won at Pontefract in bloodless fashion last month, being eased down and still coming home five and a half lengths clear of the field to make it two from two on turf, earning herself a step up in class on her return to the West Yorkshire track.

Tregoning said: “I think she’s up to this level. When you step up to that level it’s a bit of a jump up. She’s in good form, but they’ve all got to be haven’t they?

“The reason I took her there last time is that I eyed up the Silver Tankard long-term. I just wanted to make sure she’d handle the track, she handled it well. I didn’t have any problem with it so hopefully she’ll go there and if she’s in the form she was in when she won then she’ll have a chance.

“The main thing with fillies is getting black type if you possibly can. She’s shown a lot, she’s a nice filly, she’s well proportioned.

“She’s got good confirmation, good feet. She’s by Frontiersman and he wouldn’t have had too many Flat mares, this is probably the best one he’s had. But he’s a beautifully-bred horse out of Ouija Board by a champion (Dubawi) so he’s perfectly capable of getting a good one.”

Tregoning won the Cheshire Oaks with Shadow Dancing in 2002 and Hammiya in 2003 and would love to complete the hat-trick with Silverella next spring.

The Derby-winning trainer said: “As long as she’s in the same form I’ve always fancied winning the Cheshire Oaks again.

“She goes on most ground and she’s a strong traveller and in the future somewhere like Chester would suit her, but let’s just see how she goes.”

Silverella is set to face seven rivals at Pontefract, with the Owen Burrows-trained King High and Undiscovered from Ralph Beckett’s setting the standard on ratings.

Other hopefuls include Hugo Palmer’s Haydock scorer Game Character and Tyrrhenian Thunder, a winner on his debut at Ayr for Adrian Keatley.