First Stakes for Booker's Brother Banquo - three-quarter brother heading to Magic Millions

Mark Smith - Saturday November 9

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.Banquo has a three-quarter brother by Capitalist heading to the Gold Coast - image Magic Millions

“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).”      

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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.

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Race Result - World Horse Racing Springtime LR 1400m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 1:24.09
1
Banquo
- 3c Written Tycoon (AUS) x Noondie (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: D Oliver 55.5
2
1.0
Sophia's Choice
- 3f Fastnet Rock (AUS) x She's Sirius (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Robert Kingston Rdr: D Dunn 55.5
Fastnet Rock
3
1.1
Regimental Band
- 3f I Am Invincible (AUS) x Lilliburlero (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: B Avdulla 55
I Am Invincible
4
1.3
Triton Rising
- 3c Sebring (AUS) x Vain Queen (AUS) (Artie Schiller (USA))
Tnr: D & B Hayes & T Dabernig Rdr: M Zahra 56
5
1.4
Hilo
- 3c Lonhro (AUS) x Kona (AUS) (New Approach (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Damian Lane 60
6
2.4
Mister Yu Shu
- 3c Artie Schiller (USA) x Wai Lin (AUS) (Scenic (IRE))
Tnr: J T Conlan Rdr: Clayton Douglas 55.5
7
2.6
Knickpoint
- 3c Carlton House (USA) x Klamath Falls (USA) (Storm Cat (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Craig Williams 58.5
8
2.7
Done By Me
- 3f Bon Hoffa (AUS) x Theregoessnowball (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: J Bowman 59
9
2.9
Floreat Pica
- 3g Hinchinbrook (AUS) x Velasco (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: D & B Hayes & T Dabernig Rdr: L Nolen 55.5
10
6.2
Treaty Of Seville
- 3c Shooting To Win (AUS) x Gibraltar Moon (AUS) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: M J Dee 55.5
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