Geraldton Turf Club hosted the 2025 rendition of its historic $125,000 Gold Cup 2100m on Sunday and while it doesn’t carry Black Type, it is a popular race in WA with a winner this year by a well-bred sire son of Redoute’s Choice that started life as an Inglis Easter yearling back in 2009.
The much loved Midwest classic was first run in 1887 over the Melbourne Cup journey of 3200m, and ironically the inaugural winner of the race Baron Nektar was a brother to Dunlop, the Melbourne Cup winner of that year.
Some echo of that distant association still holds true in that “Gero"'s Cup is always an interesting contest where the best of the locals try to hold out the challenge of the raiders from Perth and surrounds, and the handicap conditions make for the kind of betting race well lubricated punters love best.
This year the local challenge was spearheaded by the good mare Butterflyrock chasing a fifth straight win, while the southern brigade loomed large in the form of well performed gallopers Sowar, Royal Law, “toppie” Fat Roy Slim, and race favourite Manavendra coming off a last start Albany win for Pearce Racing.
Last start Narrogin Cup runner up Truevinsky became the subject of a fevered last minute plunge among the well lubricated while tough geldings Bambun Boy and Gold Friars had their supporters at double figure odds.
When the field of 11 left the barriers Bambun Boy ridden by Brandon Louis quickly assumed control of proceedings and led the field at a relaxed pace with Royal Law in attendance. In the jostling for position behind them favourite Manavendra found himself posted out a limb and stayed there, with Truevinsky also covering extra ground.
When Bambun Boy began to steadily increase the tempo and runs began to unfurl Butterflyrock and Sowar lost their positions in the pack and were shunted out of contention while Manavendra kept on resolutely.
Into the straight and Royal Law was in for the fight but Bambun Boy fought doggedly all the way to the post and would not be headed, drawing clear to hold the gallant Royal Law by just under a length, with top weight Fat Roy Slim under his 60kg running a great race for third.
Many betting tickets were ripped up as their hard runs took a toll on Manavendra and Truevinsky, who both got tired late.
The seven year old Bambun Boy becomes the first of what has been a limited number of progeny for his sire Slater to earn black type, and it must have been a very satisfying moment for his trainer Sue Olive who owns the prominent Gold Front operation and stands the stallion.
It would have been an equally proud moment for breeder and owner JS Latham, who sent Bambun Boy's dam, the winning Canny Lad mare Lakeview Elegance to Slater in 2016.
While the mare's page is a little light on black type, Grand Lodge and Marauding are her first two damsires and the excellent Zamazaan daughter Damzelle is her fourth dam ( producer of G1 winners Dodge and Tenor), so she always had the potential to throw a decent horse - and Bambun Boy has a talented younger half brother Canny Rock ( by Gold Front's Awesome Rock) who is a dual Ascot winner this season.
Bambun Boy, lightly raced for his age, has always shown ability with 4 wins and 8 placings from his 28 starts. His Geraldton Cup victory takes his career earnings to $172,405.
He is the best offspring of regally bred Slater, who has the Coolmore C on his shoulder and is the son of mighty Redoute's Choice and champion mare Special Harmony, that daughter of Spinning World having garnered multiple Group Ones in her illustrious career.
Special Harmony has been able to pass on her elite ability and this Saturday at Royal Randwick, on Day Two of The Championships, her brilliant grand-daughter Fangirl will race for glory on the biggest stage in Australasia when she contests either the Group I ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes or Queen of the Turf Stakes, with connections yet to make a decision.
Special Harmony was a blue-blood of The West and a half-sister to Group II Perth Cup winner King Canute and his Group winning full brother Redwoldt, one of the best West Australian sprinters of his time.
They were all the produce of the outstanding racemare and broodmare Marooned Lady by Marooned, the imported Mill Reef son who had a profound influence on WA breeding.
Marooned Lady produced 14 foals, 13 of which raced and 10 of them won with the family also producing stakes winning stayers Reprisal and Buckets Ridge, classy sprinter-miller Saintorio and elite filly She's Fit, winner of the WA Oaks.
Recognising the value of this extraordinary damline to the West, and the omnipotence of his sire Redoute's Choice, it's easy to see why Gold Front sought to add the stallion to their roster despite a brief racing career that did not rise to great heights.
Slater is linebred to the blue hen Best In Show via the full sisters Show Lady and Minnie Hauk, so daughters of Slater are an interesting breeding proposition as his entire pedigree suggests that is where his primary genetic strength lies.
There won't be too many of them though, as the stallion has only served small books and next to nothing in recent years.
