Siblings Salute at Ellerslie

Media Release - Sunday December 26

A brilliant performance by emerging star Bankers Choice completed a dream Boxing Day for Okaharau Station owner-breeders Ross and Corrine Kearney.

With sparkling victories by a talented pair of homebred half-siblings, the South Waikato couple’s green and gold colours were put up in lights on one of New Zealand’s premier racedays.

Bankers Choice takes out the Stella Artois Championship Final (1500m) at Ellerslie Photo Credit: Trish Dunell

Jodelin Gal provided the first leg of the double with an emphatic victory in the opening race on the card, the Barfoot & Thompson 1400. It was the fifth win of a 12-start career for the five-year-old daughter of Swiss Ace, who is trained by Carl Henderson at Te Awamutu.

But that was just the beginning, as three hours later Bankers Choice exploded out of the pack to take out the $90,000 Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final (1500m).

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Ridden by Michael McNab for Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh, the four-year-old Mongolian Khan gelding settled in the back half of the field and was travelling with ominous ease as the form-filled field rounded the home turn.

Bankers Choice was desperate for a gap in the straight, but once McNab guided him into clear air at the 200-metre mark, he rapidly changed gears and charged into contention.

Carolina Reaper chased bravely through the closing stages, but Bankers Choice always had the upper hand and edged her out by a short neck.

“He was ready to explode in the straight – he just needed a run,” McNab said. “I only got a narrow run, but I got one, and he was too good.”

Bankers Choice has now had nine starts for four wins and two placings, with the promise of much more to come.

“I was a little bit nervous coming around the turn, because a lot of our runners haven’t really had the rub of the green so far today,” Marsh said. “But once he got him out into the clear, I know the turn of foot that this horse has.

“The owners are flying. They put a lot of money into the game, and jeez they deserve a day like this. Two wins on a day like Boxing Day is just terrific. They’re here today, and it’s great to see them getting such a huge thrill.”

Bankers Choice scored back-to-back wins in June before being sidelined by a tibia injury, but he has bounced back in style this month with another impressive winning double at Te Rapa and Ellerslie.

Remarkably, the Kearneys paid just $6000 to buy Jodelin Gal and Bankers Choice’s dam Signorina from the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka. Herself a winner over 1200 metres, Signorina is the dam of three winners from three foals to race, and she produced a colt by Little Avondale Stud’s Time Test last year before returning to Mongolian Khan. NZ Racing Desk

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Race Result - Stella Artois C'ship Final 1500m

Ellerslie Track: Dead(4) Time: 1:30.33
1
Bankers Choice
- 4g Mongolian Khan (AUS) x Signorina (NZ) (Conatus (AUS))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: M J Mc Nab 58
2
0.2
Carolina Reaper
- 4m Vespa (NZ) x Bonney Pepper (IRE) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: G Richardson & R Norvall Rdr: J J Fawcett 54
3
2.2
Sindacato
- 6g Per Incanto (USA) x Wansesingyee (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: R J Bergerson Rdr: L G Innes 56
4
2.4
North Of Havana
- 5m Makfi (GB) x Copacabana (NZ) (Captain Rio (GB))
Tnr: G Richardson & R Norvall Rdr: A C Goindasamy 53
5
2.5
Campionessa
- 4m Contributer (IRE) x Bella Carolina (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: J Kamaruddin 52
6
2.6
Packing Joy
- 6g Kingman (GB) x Wedding Morn (IRE) (Sadler's Wells (USA))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: D S Johnson 55
7
3.2
Tu Meke Potae
- 4g Makfi (GB) x Belle Fleur (NZ) (Danzero (AUS))
Tnr: L A Winters Rdr: R Beemud 50
8
3.3
Four Queens
- 4m Tavistock (NZ) x Diamond Deck (NZ) (Octagonal (NZ))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: K Asano 54
9
3.5
Heza Looker
- 5g Burgundy (NZ) x River Nymph (NZ) (Captain Rio (GB))
Tnr: R R Manning Rdr: M Hashizume 53.5
10
4.5
Champagne Princess
- 6m Bachelor Duke (USA) x Champagne Lady (NZ) (Volksraad (GB))
Tnr: D R Weatherley Rdr: S R Weatherley 55.5
11
5.4
Sonofabutcher
- 5g Buffalo Man (CAN) x Butcher's Daughter (NZ) (Pyrus (USA))
Tnr: L O'Sullivan & A Scott Rdr: C M Burdan 55
12
7.9
Bahia Emerald
- 4m Darci Brahma (NZ) x Emerald Charm (NZ) (Carnegie (IRE))
Tnr: G Richardson & R Norvall Rdr: B E Grylls 54
13
8.0
Image Of You
- 4m Pins (AUS) x Exactly Like You (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: C J Grylls 54
14
9.5
Angaria
- 5g Niagara (AUS) x San Da Secret (NZ) (Sakhee's Secret (GB))
Tnr: Debbie Sweeney Rdr: M Cameron 56
15
9.6
Tannahill
- 4g Star Witness (AUS) x Cruise Control (AUS) (Sebring (AUS))
Tnr: Craig & Shaun Phelan Rdr: O P Bosson 60
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