Silver handed British options

A trip across the Irish Sea could be on the cards for Silverhand after he secured his first success in Listed company at the Curragh on Sunday.

Having won just once from 12 starts over obstacles, the grey has been a revelation on the Flat, scoring three times from his last five starts.

His trainer Noel Meade could let his charge return to hurdles at some stage during the winter but is in no rush to make any firm plans for the improving five-year-old.

“He’s definitely improving all the time and we are even starting to think now he might be a Group horse,” said the Co Meath handler.

“I’m not sure where we’re going to go with him just yet and I’m going to have to have a good look to see what we can find.

“I think there is a race at Newmarket we might think of entering him in and there are a couple of good handicap hurdles in England you could think of as well, as long as the ground wasn’t too soft.

“He seems to have come out of the race well so we’ll carry on as we are at the moment and see where we go.

“If he can bring his Flat form to hurdles then he may not be badly handicapped, but maybe he is just one of those horses that is better on the level.

“He’s run five times on the Flat and has won three times and been second twice, but his form over hurdles wouldn’t be anything like that.”