The show rolled on for Danny O’Brien and Damien Oliver on the final day of the Flemington carnival with the high-priced Written Tycoon colt Banquo earning his first black-type win in the Listed World Horse Racing Springtime Stakes at Flemington.
The 3yo brother to Group 1 Oakleigh Plate heroine Booker tracked the early speed set by Hilo before striking the front at the 300 metres the holding the challenge of Sophia's Choice (Fastnet Rock) by a length with Regimental Band (I Am Invincible) a half-head back in third.
The heavily backed Banquo was coming off a maiden win at Sale at his fourth start.
“He’s a cracking type, a brother to the good mare Booker so he is very well bred, we’ve always had a nice opinion of him, was always going to reach stakes class, he got a good attitude and a good race brain,” Oliver said.
That was also the opinion of trainer Danny O’Brien who said the colt races for several high-profile New Zealand breeders.
“We’ve got a lovely opinion of him, he’s a beautiful style of colt who we think will go on to bigger and better things,” O’Brien said.
“There’s a group of them in this horse including Waikato Stud and Liv Petagna, they are a group of New Zealanders looking to buy a nice colt to potentially one day to stand (at stud).”
Yet another stakes-winner to emerge from the paddocks of Mill Park Stud, Banquo was purchased by Bruce Perry Bloodstock for $600,000 at the 2018 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The brother to Group 1 winner Booker is the third foal of the Flying Spur Noondie who was purchased as a yearling by Belmont Bloodstock Agency for $50,000 at the 2010 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
At this year’s Inglis Chairman's Sale, Noondie was purchased by Bill Mitchell for $600,000 carrying a full-brother to Booker and Banquo.
A half-sister to stakes-winner Tranquillity (Redoute’s Choice), Noondie is out of the Listed WATC Belmont Guineas winner Creatix who is a three-quarter sister to the two-time Group 1 Toorak Handicap winner Umrum.
Noondie has a Starspangledbanner colt sell for $80,000 at the 2019 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale and she has a three-quarter brother to Booker and Banquo by Written Tycoon’s Golden Slipper winner Capitalist heading to the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast in January.
