Silver Knott seeking G1 breakthrough in Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Multiple Graded Stakes scorer Silver Knott aims to secure a first G1 victory in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct, USA, on Saturday, 28 September.

The Charlie Appleby-trained four-year-old kept on in third behind Far Bridge and Measured Time in last month’s G1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga.

That was a first defeat of 2024 for the son of Lope de Vega, who had previously reeled off dominant G2 wins in the Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland’s Spring Meet, the Man o’War Stakes at Aqueduct and Saratoga’s Bowling Green Stakes.

Silver Knott was beaten a nose in the 2022 G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and also ran well at G1 level when taking third in December’s Hollywood Derby.

Charlie Appleby said: “Silver Knott has freshened up well since the Sword Dancer and heads to Aqueduct in good order. He’s been very solid all season over these sort of distances and you would hope that he can be a player again.”