Lonhro's Jolly Banner Shocks in The Bauhinia Sprint Trophy

Mark Smith - Sunday January 6

The Ricky Yiu-trained Jolly Banner earned his first stakes win in Sunday's The Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (1000m) at Sha Tin but there were few punters cheering as the 7yo son of Lonhro started at 90/1 in the six-horse field.

There was not a hint of fluke in the result either. After receiving a squeeze at barrier rise, Jolly Banner settled back last and by the halfway mark he was still four lengths of them with Matthew Poon scrubbing his ears off. Picking up with 200 metres left to run, Jolly Banner pushed one out of the way before running away to an impressive length score over the 3yo Starspangledbanner gelding Styling City with I Am Invincible's Wishful Thinker the same distance back in third. (HKJC photo)

Advertisement


"Six runners and a 90/1 winner: We don't mind surprises!" Yiu told the HKJC.

"He's a very honest horse, so I'm not surprised he finished a good race. But winning? That's a big surprise. It's a big plus for him."

Yiu said it was the small field that tempted him to have a go.

"There are limited opportunities for this horse, so after last start I decided to take a chance at the 1000 (metres), it was a small field and there's good prize money so I told the owner to just go for it," he said.

"The jockey gave him a good warm-up to the start and he jumped better than his previous race. I said to Matthew before, 'stay in touch, you have to stay in touch to be competitive,' and as soon as he asked the horse, the horse responded tremendously."

For Poon, it was his first Group race success in his hometown.

"It's my first Group III in Hong Kong, so I was a bit excited. I've won two Group III races in Singapore but never before here," he said.

Purchased by his trainer for $300,000 out of the Tyreel Stud draft at the 2013 Inglis Easter Australian Yearling Sale, Jolly Banner (pictured as a yearling) broke his maiden at Mornington back in June 2015 when trained by Pat Carey.

Two months later he was on a flight to Hong Kong.

While he had won six times previously in his adopted homeland, Jolly Banner had fallen short in three stakes attempts although he was beaten less than a length in the Group II Sha Tin Trophy (1600m) won champion Beauty Generation last October. The Bauhinia Sprint Trophy was his first ever attempt at the minimum distance.

He advances his overall record to 7 wins, 4 seconds and 8 thirds from 29 starts with earnings of HK$10.2 million.

While he might have silenced the fans at Sha Tin, there would certainly be rejoicing at Makybe who bred the son of Lonhro out of the Group III winning Jade Robbery (USA) mare Valkyrie Diva, a half-sister to their beloved triple Melbourne Cup winner and twice Horse Of The Year, Makybe Diva.

Jolly Banner becomes the third stakes-winner for Valkyrie Diva after the Listed winners C'Est Beau La Vie (Bernardini) and Wales (Redoute's Choice).

Valkyrie Diva does not have a yearling on the ground, but she did foal a Snitzel filly on November 17.

Her daughter C'Est Beau La Vie also had a Snitzel filly and she was bred back to the Arrowfield champion.

Another of Valkyrie Diva's foals, the highly promising Fastnet Rock mare Kentucky Diva, is back in training with Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes at Rosehill.

A $280,000 purchase by Laurel Oak Bloodstock at the 2015 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Kentucky Diva has won two of her four starts and has not been seen out since winning at Sandown last August.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Tassie Derby Winner Strikes Form at Flemington
Four-year-old Bold Soul returned to winning ways at Flemington, where he again emphasised his depths of stamina, repelling the challenge of Goldenstatewarrior and Muktamil under apprentice jockey Thomas Prebble.
Second Stakes Success For More Than Ready’s Oughton
The well-travelled Oughton (More Than Ready) added Saturday’s $200,000 Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) to his previous success in the Listed Tattersall's Recognition Stakes, off the back of a tendon injury which put an end to his stint in Hong Kong.
Nicks That Click - Two Darley Champions Combine
A powerful nick between champion Darley sires Lonhro and Exceed and Excel produced it's tenth stakes-winner on Saturday.
85th Stakes Winner for Lonhro
A bit of shrewd placing by the Godolphin team resulted in the 5-year-old Lonhro mare Soothing earning a valuable black-type win in Saturday’s Listed W H Wylie Hcp (1100m) at Morphettville.
Godolphin’s Kin Wins Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic
After recording her first black type victory during last year’s spring carnival, the James Cummings trained Kin has produced three quality black type efforts during the Queensland carnival, resulting in a thoroughly deserving victory in Saturday's $160,000 Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic (1200m) at Ipswich.
Lonhro's Ranier in Heartstopping Festival Stakes Win
An inspired rail hugging ride by Brenton Avdulla had supporters of Live And Free counting their money in the closing stages of Saturday’s Group III Iron Jack Festival Stakes at Rosehill when down the outside came Kathy O’Hara on Godolphin’s honest Lonhro gelding Ranier to spoil the party.
One to Watch Wins Again!
It might be winter and all eyes may have been on Royal Ascot this week, but there was a winner at Flemington on Saturday that will have caught the eye of anyone with half an interest towards spring racing and emerging talent.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 21
Here is the full list of 101 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Three on the Trot for Zousain 3YO
The Paul Shailer stable has been flying over the winter carnival and one of the stable stars has been Zousain gelding Mister Bianco, who made it three wins in succession when taking out the $150,000 Schweppes TL Cooney (1350m) at Ipswich on Saturday.
Royal Ascot Day 5 – Runaway, Rising Empire and My Best Friend
After five spectacular days of racing, Royal Ascot is over with the finale overnight producing high drama with a runaway G1 winner, the rise of a racing empire and the first stakes horse for St Mark’s Basilica.