Sunday, 19 August 2012:
New stable acquisition Villa Splendido could deliver another feature race knockout blow for Gerald Ryan in the Silver Shadow Stakes.
Golden Slipper runner-up Snitzerland gave her trainer early carnival bragging rights with a dashing return to the races on Saturday when she beat Magic Millions winner Driefontein and glamour colt All Too Hard in the San Domenico Stakes.
Villa Splendido will be one of three runners for Ryan in Saturday's Silver Shadow (1200m) at Warwick Farm with She's A Fox and Nechita among her opposition.
Stablemates Cavalry Rose and Flying Snitzel complete the Ryan trio but Villa Splendido's recent barrier trial is cause for optimism.
The filly ran a close third behind Snitzerland and All Too Hard in a trial earlier this month.
"I'll have three runners and it's a shame they have to race against each other," Ryan said.
"I think they will all go well and I have been impressed with Villa Splendido."
The Group Three Silver Shadow is the first leg of the four-race Princess Series with the Furious Stakes (1400m) on September 8, the Tea Rose (1500m) two weeks later with another fortnight to finale, the Group One Flight Stakes.
The Silver Shadow will be a pivotal race for She's A Fox with trainer Anthony Cummings and her syndicate of owners to decide after the race whether she goes to the $1 million Golden Rose on September 15 or sticks to her own sex in the Furious.
The winner of three of her four starts, She's A Fox was dominant in the Listed Rosebud (1200m) last time out.
Patinack Farm's Nechita created a big impression with her debut victory in June and trainer John Thompson has been effusive his assessment of the filly who will go through the Princess Series.
She beat Flying Snitzel in a trial on August 13 with the Clarry Conners-trained Dear Demi fourth.
Dear Demi also runs in the Silver Shadow as she begins an ambitious campaign which could result in a tilt at the Derby-Oaks double in Melbourne.
Like Snitzerland, Dear Demi would be a Group One winner if not for Pierro who she chased home in the Champagne Stakes, the third leg of his juvenile triple crown.
