Silently justified jockey Hugh Bowman's confidence in her when she came with a barnstorming run to upset favourite Ortensia in a thrilling opening race at Randwick on Anzac Day.The John O'Shea-trained Silently, who started at $9 in the James HB Carr Stakes, turned the tables on Ortensia ($1.55) who she ran fourth to last start in the Listed PJ Bell Stakes over 1200 metres at the same track two weeks ago.Silently settled near the tail of the field in Saturday's 1400-metre race before Bowman took
Silently justified jockey Hugh Bowman's confidence in her when she came with a barnstorming run to upset favourite Ortensia in a thrilling opening race at Randwick on Anzac Day.
The John O'Shea-trained Silently, who started at $9 in the James HB Carr Stakes, turned the tables on Ortensia ($1.55) who she ran fourth to last start in the Listed PJ Bell Stakes over 1200 metres at the same track two weeks ago.
Silently settled near the tail of the field in Saturday's 1400-metre race before Bowman took her to the outside to make her run.
Ortensia, ridden by Craig Williams, skipped clear on straightening but Silently hit top gear near the 200 metres and defeated the Tony Noonan-trained filly by a short half-head.
"I thought stepping up to the 1400 metres was really going to suit her and I was proved correct," Bowman said.
O'Shea also arrived confident of a strong showing from the Anabaa three-year-old.
"She needed the 1400, she was good late the other day," O'Shea said.
Noonan said the rain-affected track proved Ortensia's undoing.
"The query was always going to be the ground, she's never been on a slow seven. I was worried at the top of the straight," Noonan said.
Williams, whose wife is due to have a baby, rides in Hong Kong on Sunday and kept his sense of humour after the narrow loss.
"Jockeys' time never runs to perfection," Williams said.