Silvano stole the show at Vodacom Durban July day but the feel good story might well have belonged to the lesser known stallion Seul Amour.

Silvano’s progeny, Power King, Punta Arenas and Tellina, finished first, second and third in the July and all of them were bred by Maine Chance Farms. A rare occurrence for a country’s premier race anywhere in the world.

Earlier Seul Amour’s progeny Just Ask Me and Heart Of A Lion, both trained by Gavin van Zyl, had won a MR 83 Handicap over 1400m on the poly track and the Gr 2 SABC Gold Vase over 3000m respectively. Seul Amour, a New Zealand-bred, has a superb pedigree being by Zabeel out of four-time Gr 1-winning mare Grand Archway (Archway). He was raced in Australasia by well known South African owner Larry Nestadt and won a Listed race.

He began his stud duties in Australia but was brought to South Africa by Brad van der Riet and Alf Dickerson in 2011 and stands at Van der Riet’s Vanree Stud. Dickerson, his nephew Dennis Fraser and breeder Terry Andrews, had earlier bought the Counter Action mare, Action Lady. They sent her to Lake Coniston and her first foal Dance Club won a race at Fairview, albeit in her 19th start.

However, her next visit was to Seul Amour.

The foal was born and the trio now had two Seul Amours and didn’t know which one to keep. They decided to sell Heart Of A Lion for a “give away” price. Nick van Veen bought 50% and another owner was supposed to take the other 50% but defaulted.

Dickerson and Fraser then took a share each and the Van Zyl yard agreed to take the remainding 25% and to train him.

Heart Of A Lion ran fifth in his first two starts on the Highveld over 1160m and 1400m respectively and then ran second over 1400m to the useful Judicial.

However, it was when he was stepped up to 1600m in the May of his two-year-old that he showed his potential, winning his maiden by eight lengths at Turffontein. It didn’t escape the notice of Seul Amour’s former owner Larry Nestadt who made an offer and bought half of Van der Veen’s share for an apparently sizeable sum. At the same time Edwin Foster’s Bold Moves 860 syndicate bought the Van Zyl yard’s share.

He won his next two races to record a hat trick and looked to have a bright future as a three-year-old when finishing a 3,15 length fifth in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m at Greyville in his final start as a juvenile.

However, it was only when stepped up to staying trips this season as a four-year-old that he has really begun to fulfil his potential.

He finished third in both the Gr 3 Caradoc Gold Cup over 2850m and the Gr 2 Gold Bowl over 3200m, both at Turffontein. Then in his penultimate start he caught many a pundit’s eye running on strongly in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m at Greyville.

His regular rider Muzi Yeni gave him a fine ride on Saturday, dropping him out from a wide draw, relaxing him beautifully and he then ran on strongly in the straight to just prevail over Wild Ash and Solid Speed.

The handicapper has only raised him one point to 96 and this augurs well for his chances in the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m at Greyville on the last Saturday of this month. Terry Andrews is the official breeder of both Heart Of A Lion and three-year-old gelding Just Ask Me so July day 2015 will always be a memorable one for him.

By David Thiselton