Silent Achiever
{{Short description|New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox racehorse
| horsename = Silent Achiever
| sire = O'Reilly
| grandsire = Last Tycoon
| dam = Winning Spree
| damsire = Zabeel
| sex = Filly
| foaled = {{Birth date|2008|09|18|df=y}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|02|04|2008|09|18|df=y}}
| country = New Zealand
| colour = Bay
| breeder = Kevin Hickman
| owner = Kevin Hickman
| trainer = Roger James
| record = 30:10-3-3
| earnings = A$$3,540,490
| race = The BMW Stakes (2014)
Ranvet Stakes (2014)
New Zealand Stakes (2014)
New Zealand Derby (2012)
Championship Stakes (2012)
Crystal Mile (2012)
|awards=
|honours =
}}
Silent Achiever (18 September 2008 – 4 February 2021){{cite web |url=http://www.punters.com.au/horses/Silent-Achiever_153901/ |title=Silent Achiever horse form guide, history, breeding and career stats |date= |website=Punters.com.au |publisher= |accessdate=18 April 2014}} was a champion New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse. On 3 March 2012, she won the 137th running of the New Zealand Derby. She was the first filly to win the race since 1993, and only the fourth in the last 45 years.
Background
Silent Achiever was trained by Roger James at his Kingsclere Stables{{cite web|url=http://www.kingsclerestables.co.nz/|title=Roger James Racing NZ Thoroughbred Trainer Cambridge - Kingsclere Stables|website=www.kingsclerestables.co.nz}} in Cambridge, New Zealand. She was bred by Kevin Hickman of Valachi Downs,{{cite web|url=http://www.valachidowns.co.nz/|title=Valachi Downs - New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders - Thoroughbred Stud » Valachi Downs|website=www.valachidowns.co.nz}} near Matamata. Hickman noted, "She's got a very balanced pedigree and she's got a very good cardiovascular system and a great turn of foot. Zabeel gives her that stamina and O'Reilly gives her that turn of foot. She's got a great brain on her too. She thinks the runs the world. She's arrogant and she's got a big opinion of herself. She's going to be one of the foundation mares at Valachi Downs that was born and bred on the farm."{{cite web|url=http://www.theinformant.co.nz/racing/TQ22500/Hickmans-escape-from-business-now-a-consuming-passion|title=The Informant: New Zealand Racing news, form and punting|publisher=}}
Racing career
Silent Achiever was a maiden until 7 December, so a nomination for the Derby wasn't even considered when first nominations were taken in late November. But what followed after her maiden win was an extraordinary rise to stardom. Silent Achiever finished third behind 1000 Guineas winner Planet Rock in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic on Boxing Day, then won the Group 2 Championship Stakes on 1 January, the Group 3 Waikato Guineas on 28 January - beating then-Derby favourite Ocean Park- and the Group 2 Avondale Guineas on 18 February.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}
The series of wins was so impressive that she started $2.30 favourite in the New Zealand Derby. And she more than justified the favouritism with an emphatic two-and-a-half-length win over 2000 Guineas winner Rock 'n' Pop.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}
In her Australian debut, Silent Achiever ran a fast-finishing third behind Laser Hawk in the Rosehill Guineas. That performance saw her start one of the favourites for the Australian Derby, where she finished sixth.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}
Silent Achiever resumed in the spring of 2012 with a fourth placing at Te Rapa before crossing the Tasman for a two-race Melbourne campaign. She won the Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley Racecourse - the first time a mare has ever won the race.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}
Following a frustrating 2013 in which she was narrowly beaten in The BMW Stakes{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/more-sports/horse-racing/fiveandahalfstar-leads-from-start-to-finish-to-claim-group-one-bmw-set-up-huge-australian-derby/story-e6frf41l-1226613878889|title=Motorsport Video |Motorsport Highlights, Replays, News, Clips|website=FOX SPORTS}} and suffered an injury just days out from the Melbourne Cup,{{cite web |url=https://racingvictoria.net.au/news/RVL/n_Silent_Achiever_out_of_Melbourne_Cup.aspx |title=Racing Victoria - Racing Victoria Limited - Silent Achiever out of Melbourne Cup |accessdate=2014-04-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20140406141842/https://racingvictoria.net.au/news/RVL/n_Silent_Achiever_out_of_Melbourne_Cup.aspx |archivedate=2014-04-06 }} Silent Achiever returned to form in 2014 with wins in the New Zealand Stakes and Ranvet Stakes. The latter was her first Group 1 win on Australian soil, and it came in a race billed as "a duel for the title of best horse in the country".{{cite web|url=http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/03/20/ranvet-to-determine-the-best-fiorente-or-its-a-dundeel/|title=Ranvet to determine the best: Fiorente or It's A Dundeel|date=20 March 2014|publisher=}} At her next start she was successful in The BMW Stakes over 2400m at Rosehill, again defeating It's A Dundeel and Fiorente.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/racing/silent-achiever-rises-to-top-after-beating-cream-of-the-crop-in-the-bmw-20140405-zqr4b.html|title=Silent Achiever rises to top after beating cream of the crop in The BMW|first=Chris|last=Roots|date=5 April 2014|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}
Her Spring campaign got off to a disappointing start with unplaced runs in her first three races, but she returned to form when finishing a close third in the Cox Plate behind Adelaide and Fawkner.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/adelaide-triumphs-in-australia-for-ireland-20141025-3ivgu.html|title=Adelaide triumphs in Australia for Ireland|first=Caryl|last=Williamson|date=25 October 2014|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}
Retirement and death
Silent Achiever retired in May 2015 and was sent to England the same year to be covered by the legendary Frankel on Southern Hemisphere time in her first year at stud.{{Cite web |title=Silent Achiever dies at age 12 |url=https://www.racingnews.co.nz/silent-achiever-dies-at-age-12/ |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=www.racingnews.co.nz}} As a broodmare she delivered:
- a filly by Frankel called Lady Faustina, which became a broodmare {{cite web | url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/racing/83069609/silent-achiever-gives-prominent-owner-kevin-hickman-a-frankel-filly | title=Stuff }}
- a colt by Frankel{{cite web |title=Prospects all good for Valachi Downs chief |website=The New Zealand Herald |date=2 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205193410/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/racing-prospects-all-good-for-valachi-downs-chief/KPBBMMF5X7AXODXX6EP7KL7K6Y/ |archive-date=5 February 2023 |url-status=live |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/racing-prospects-all-good-for-valachi-downs-chief/KPBBMMF5X7AXODXX6EP7KL7K6Y/}}
- a colt by Galileo
- a colt by Kingman.{{cite web | url=https://www.breednet.com.au/news/7995/silent-achiever-foals-a-kingman-colt | title=Silent Achiever Foals a Kingman Colt | Breednet }}
She was also covered by Ocean Park in 2020 but died in early 2021.{{Cite web | title=Silent Achiever dies at age 12 {{!}} NZ Racing News | url=https://www.racingnews.co.nz/silent-achiever-dies-at-age-12/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221133837/https://www.racingnews.co.nz/silent-achiever-dies-at-age-12/ | access-date=2024-12-29 | archive-date=2021-02-21}}{{cite web | url=https://www.racing.com/news/2021-02-07/news-james-remembers-silent-achiever | title=James remembers Silent Achiever }}
Lady Faustina, who died 1 October 2023, has produced:
- Annia Aurelia: a mare by Zacinto (GB), a race winner at Ashburton and Timaru.{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/413898/Annia-Aurelia-NZ-2020.aspx#bm-overview|title=Annia Aurelia (NZ) 2020 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Pitman: a bay colt by Almanzor,{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/443293/aus-Pitman-NZ-2022.aspx#bm-overview|title=[aus] Pitman (NZ) 2022 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}} who was sold at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka sales to Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $250,000.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzb.co.nz/sales/24kaa/175|title=New Zealand Bloodstock | Thoroughbred Auction House|date=3 June 2025|website=NZB Thoroughbred}}{{Cite web|url=https://racenet.com.auundefined/|title=Racenet - Australia's Premier Horse Racing News, Form Guides & Tips|website=racenet.com.au}}