Slipper on the agenda for Banchee

BY AIDEN RODLEY

Matamata trainer John Sargent believes boom filly Banchee is the right horse to become the first New Zealand-trained winner of the world's richest two-year-old race.

Sargent confirmed the A$3.5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on April 3 was high on Banchee's agenda after she was ridden against her normal style of racing but still emerged triumphant in Saturday's Gr I $200,000 Diamond Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie.

Oratorio filly Banchee was not entered for the Slipper and owners Sam and Birdie Kelt would need to front with the A$150,000 late entry fee before March 31 but Sargent said he had spoken to Kelt yesterday and he was keen to ensure the filly had come through the Diamond Stakes in good order but deciding whether or not to make the payment.

"He's open to the idea, for sure," Sargent said yesterday.

"There's no rush. It's not till the end of the month before the late payment is due. [Sam] wants to give it a few days and make sure she's come through the race well."

Hamilton trainer Graeme Rogerson is the only New Zealand trainer to have won a Golden Slipper, winning in 2003 with Polar Success, prepared out of his Sydney stable.

The Grant Searle-trained Our Maizcay was fourth in 1995, the John Wheeler-trained Scotch And Dry was fifth in 1986 and the Stu Munro-trained Tasman Dancer was seventh in 1987.

McGinty won the 1982 Slipper Trial, beating the subsequent Golden Slipper winner Marscay, but suffered an injury in the race and was unable to contest the Slipper.

The last New Zealand-trained horse to contest a Golden Slipper was Dr Green, who finished 14th for then Cambridge trainer Brian Jenkins in 2005.

Sargent was keen to give Banchee her chance at history and believed that with her customary style of get-back and sprint home late racing, she was the ideal Slipper candidate.

"She's the right New Zealand horse to take because she's not a horse who has to race on the pace," Sargent said.

"She's a horse you could take to Australia because you can't go there and take them on with a frontrunner. She'll get back and can come at them with a big finish."

Ridden handier than usual by Leith Innes on Saturday, Banchee stuck on gamely from a trailing position in fourth to win a race that was run to suit the backrunners after the leaders set a hectic early pace.

Banchee was headed in the straight by Jimmy Choux but fought back to regain the lead then fended off a late challenge from an unlucky Cellarmaster, who had a chequered run to the line.

Jimmy Choux had to survive a protest from the connections of fourth placed Charma before chalking up his Gr I placing.

Sargent said Banchee's performance from a handy position showed she was more than a one-dimensional filly but she was more potent with one late run at them.

"That wasn't her style of racing today, to be up handy. She'd much rather be further back. I said to Leith go forward, be handy and use the barrier," he said.

"She's gone up another level since the [Matamata] Breeders' Stakes. It was a hard-fought win today because she is better suited to racing back in the field."

Hall of Fame trainer Wheeler said he would love to see Banchee have a shot at the Golden Slipper.

"If she was mine, I'd be having a go but that's just how I am. They run the first 600m of the Slipper in 33 seconds - that always happens - so if she got back and ran at them late, she'd have to be a show."

Innes, 31, said Banchee was a model racehorse and an ideal Golden Slipper candidate.

"You know she's going to travel over and settle in there well because she's just that type of horse," he said.

"There's been no standout in the Slipper leadups over there and it's a pretty open race at this stage. And I'm sure Sam doesn't want to take a winning jockey off."

Innes said Banchee had taken the occasion in her stride on Saturday, giving a "lovely, relaxed" preliminary gallop ahead of the race, "went to sleep" in the barriers, yet still jumped straight to the lead when the gates opened.

"She's like a lovely pet, she's just so quiet. She's a lovely horse to ride because she'll just go to sleep in the running but still give you 120 per cent when you ask her to. Today she just relaxed and dropped the bit.

"When you ask her, she's got another gear up her sleeve. Look at the hindquarters on her, she's like a colt."

Sargent said the alternative to the Golden Slipper was the Gr I Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni on April 3 but there was still a chance she could head to Sydney for the Gr I A$300,000 AJC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 10 or the Gr I A$300,000 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on April 24.

"She's a top two-year-old but we'll see the best of her over 1600m in the spring," he said.

"She's very much like Katie Lee, a very similar horse. She's a lovely filly to train, the best two-year-old I've ever trained. She's the perfect two-year-old because she just sleeps and eats."

A younger half-sister to dual Gr I winning three-year-old Katie Lee, Banchee was a $375,000 yearling purchase for Wairarapa bloodstock agent Bruce Perry.

Banchee was bred by Te Kauwhata's Hallmark Stud and Taranaki's Trevor Hurley and in the Kelts' absence Hallmark's Denny Baker had the honour of leading the filly back to scale.

Given Miss Jessie Jay has now produced two individual Gr I winners this season, she is a hot favourite for broodmare of the year honours.

- © Fairfax NZ News