In a week where Group 1 stars Funstar and Miami Bound departed these shores for Japan, a mare who left with little fanfare seven years ago produced the winner of the Group III Chunichi Shimbun Hai at Chukyo on Saturday.
The Takeshi Matsushita-trained Shonan Bardi had been winless in 14 months before Yasunari Iwata coaxed him to a neck victory in the Group III feature over 2000m.
It was the first stakes success for the 5yo son of King’s Best (USA) who had placed three times in stakes races this season.
He is the only foal left by his dam Banovina in Japan.
A daughter of Redoute’s Choice, Banovina was a $250,000 purchase by James Bester from the Arrowfield draft at the 2011 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
The closest Banovina came to a racetrack was two barrier trials. The daughter of Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas heroine Macedon Lady (Filante) had four foals in Australia before being shipped off to Japan. The best of those was the talented Istria who won four and placed in five of her 15 starts.
