Silent Love battles to Listed success at Newmarket

Improving filly Silent Love took another step forward with a brave victory in the Listed Chalice Stakes at Newmarket, UK, on Saturday, 2 August.

Aiming to follow up a Kempton Park maiden win in June, the Charlie Appleby-trained three-year-old was held up in mid-division of the eight runners by Billy Loughnane, who produced the daughter of Dubawi up the stands’ rail approaching the two-furlong pole.

Silent Love stayed on gamely to collar Jane Temple in the closing strides and saw out the mile and a half well, crossing the line half a length in front, with the front two pulling four and a half lengths clear of Karmology in third.

Charlie Appleby said: “I told Billy before the race that Silent Love would stay, but not to commit her too far out if he could help it. He felt the ground was a bit tacky and he would have won by a couple of lengths with proper soft ground. He was quite impressed with the way she saw it out.

“We have a race in mind at Deauville, the G3 Prix Lady O’Reilly, and this should hopefully give her a nice progression on to that.”