Silverdale won't be given the chance to improve on his third placing in last year's Gr.2 Coupland's Bakeries Mile in the Riccarton feature next month, but he could enhance his prospects for upcoming northern features when he races at Tauranga on Saturday.
The Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards-trained gelding tackles the Mills Reef Winery & Restaurant 1300 at Tauranga with stable jockey Matthew Cameron booked to ride.
Silverdale finished fourth resuming at Otaki last start and Autridge said he had progressed nicely since.
"We're happy with him. He's ready to run a good race. This is the first time we've given him a decent spell and it's taken twice the time to get him ready.
“When the entries were taken for Christchurch, his coat was shaggy and he was carrying a fair bit of condition so we didn't bother putting him in.
"We'll just take our time with him up here and he'll step up to 1600 metres next time."
Silverdale was third to Addictive Habit and Nashville in last year's Coupland's Bakeries Mile, both horses now proving themselves as Group One winners.
The Stan Painton-raced galloper has raced several times at Group level, but failed in both the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile and Gr.1 Easter Handicap earlier this year, though Autridge wasn't ruling out a return to the top level this season if Silverdale's form warranted it.
"If he's up to it, he'll be there," he said. "We're really happy with him this time in. Last preparation, he had crook feet and all sorts, but at this stage his feet are fine and everything is ticking along nicely.
“He is getting older and you just never know, but if he's showing he's up to it, we'll be attacking Auckland over Christmas."
The Autridge and Richards stable will be represented by Wolfwhistle, Osmundo and Bon Marche at Tauranga and Highly Likely at Awapuni on Saturday ahead of what is shaping as a busy week at Riccarton for the New Zealand Cup carnival, where stable members dominate betting for the Gr.1 NZB 1000 and the Gr.1 Sothys 2000 Guineas.
