Banchee burns up the track at Te Teko

BY AIDAN RODLEY

Star filly Banchee carried the colours of Waikato owners Peter and Philip Vela for the first time at yesterday's Te Teko trials.

But the blue and white hoops became a mere blur as the Gr I winner flashed home a sizzling final 200m to score an emphatic open heat win.

In the hands of her new rider James McDonald, the John Sargent-trained Oratorio filly travelled well in her 1000m open catchweight heat. That was until the leaders quickened on straightening.

Katie Lee's little half-sister was immediately under pressure. She was left flat-footed and appeared to be floundering in the heavy track conditions.

A perplexed McDonald asked for more. Nothing.

But then a split second later, the momentum began to build and in an instant there was the trademark turn of foot which propelled her to one of the best performances of last season when she won the Gr I Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie.

In the space of 250m Banchee had gone from wheel-spinning on the spot to needing a parachute to aid her in slowing down.

She had just dragged off her rivals and left McDonald bewildered.

''I thought she was gone on the corner,'' the Cambridge jockey said.

''But she just seems to have a real laziness thing about her. That's my first ride on her and she's a lovely horse. She's come home really good. She's just got something about her and I can't wait to ride her this spring. She feels like a Ferrari.''

Matamata trainer John Sargent has the Gr III $70,000 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings on September 18 set as Banchee's first start as a three-year-old.

She changed hands after her stellar two-year-old season, in which she scored at Gr I level in the Diamond Stakes and Gr II level in the Matamata Breeders' Stakes as well as placing in both the $1 million Karaka Million and the Gr III Eclipse Stakes, both at Ellerslie.

The price the Vela brothers paid for Banchee to Hastings businessman Sam Kelt was not disclosed.

Sargent was delighted with Banchee's trial and said the filly would be given her chance to emulate Katie Lee's landmark 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas double at Riccarton in November.

''She's so laid-back,'' Sargent said, in reference to her taking time to wind up into her dazzling finish.

''She's still got to lose her winter coat but she's come up stronger this year. She should get up to a mile this year no problem.''

Banchee won the heat by 1 1/2 lengths to Hamilton mare Nina From Pasadena with three-quarters of a length to the Sargent-trained Princess Emmy, who shaded her stablemate Kumari.

The Sargent-trained Blonde Bombshell went to the line well to win the next 1000m open heat by half a length from Big Grump Grae, who narrowly headed No Emotion, Altered Image and Gaston.

Among the happiest of connections after the heat was Matamata trainer Andrew Clarkin, who was delighted to see the former Gr I Levin Classic winner come through unscathed in his first trial since breaking down with a tendon injury in last year's Gr I Mudgway Partsworld Stakes at Hastings.

''His fitness is a long way off. He's probably only 70-75 per cent fit but he's coming along well,'' said the new training partner of Michael Moroney.

''We're taking him along quietly. We've got no races in mind for him yet. If we start putting pressure on to get him to the races, we could shoot ourselves in the foot so we're happy to bring him up nice and slowly.''

The other 1000m open heat went the way of the Jason Bridgman-trained Sans Souci, a promising Pins filly part-owned by Trackside presenter Karyn Fenton-Ellis.

Sans Souci went to the line 1 1/4 lengths clear for rider Opie Bosson, beating Gr I-placed filly Our Ella Belle and last year's Gr III Eulogy Stakes winner Veronica Franco.

Bridgman confirmed Sans Souci would clash with Banchee first-up in the Gold Trail Stakes.

''She'll go to the Gold Trail and she's nominated for both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas,'' the Matamata trainer said.

''She won on debut on a dead track and placed in the Castletown Stakes on a heavy track so she's one horse we don't mind if the spring stays wet for. She didn't really know what she was doing in the Castletown Stakes but she's trialled well today and she was a lot more professional.''

Bridgman produced seven two-year-old triallists yesterday with Volksraad colt French Connection the most impressive, scoring by a nose from an unnamed Tony Pike and Mark Donoghue-trained Falvelon colt.

The pair ran the 600m in 35.56, easily the quickest of the three juvenile trials.

Bridgman said French Connection could contest the 880m two-year-old race at Ruakaka on Saturday week.

The Bridgman-trained Pins colt Bespoke won his 600m heat by 1 1/2-lengths from stablemate Karaka Vintage, while an unnamed Pike-Donoghue-trained Beautiful Crown gelding  scored a half-length heat win over the unnamed John Sargent-trained Pins-Naturo filly with $1 million Fastnet Rock-Popsy colt Rock 'N' Pop finishing third for Bridgman.

Pike bought his pair at the Sydney Classic Yearling Sales and both are eligible for a sales graduate race there in January.

''They've both gone really well. With the wet tracks here at the moment, I'll probably give them three weeks off and then have them ready to run in November,'' Pike said.

Bridgman said most of his seven would also spell.

''A few of them you'd expect to improve later on in the season but they are getting education here to bring them on. The ones we expected to go well today did so that's all good,'' he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News