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Stakes Goals Ahead for Banana Queen

Tara Madgwick - Saturday January 21

Promising So You Think mare Banana Queen made it three wins on the trot when scoring a powerful victory at Randwick on Saturday with Black Type goals on the horizon this year.

Banana Queen gets the hat-trick of wins- image Steve Hart

Trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, Banana Queen has always shown potential, but has been in hot form since resuming from a spell to win at Newcastle last month and then scored again at Warwick Farm before jumping to Saturday class for a Benchmark 78 event over 1600m.

She relished the step up in trip to skip away and win by nearly two lengths for Brenton Avdulla and has now won four of nine starts earning over $160,000 in prizemoney.

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“We haven’t looked beyond today for her, but we always believed she was a filly that would measure up to Black Type,” said Sterling Alexiou.

“It’s been a matter of letting her mature and  getting there in her own time. We’ll have a good look tomorrow and map out a plan for her.”

A homebred for Arcella Thoroughbreds, Banana Queen is a  three-quarter sister to Group III placed Vanuatu and is the sixth winner from six foals to race from unraced Fastnet Rock mare Tropicana Lady, a full sister to Group I winner Irish Lights, the dam of Group II winner Omei Sword and stakes-winner Lipizzaner.

Tropicana Lady produced a colt by Graff last spring and was then covered by Too Darn Hot (GB).

Given her pedigree, Banana Queen will be a valuable broodmare going forward if she gains some Black Type along the way.

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Race Result - Fujitsu General (Bm78) 1600m

Randwick Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:36.63
1
Banana Queen
- 4m So You Think (NZ) x Tropicana Lady (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: B Avdulla 57.5
2
1.8
Ella Te Ama
- 4m Scissor Kick (AUS) x She Loves You (AUS) (Husson (ARG))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 55.5
3
3.3
Nothinsweetaboutme
- 5m So You Think (NZ) x Nothin' Leica Cat (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: J Parr 62
4
3.4
Lekvarte
- 4m Reliable Man (GB) x Plumm (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Joseph Pride Rdr: C Schofield 57
5
3.5
Elettrica
- 4m Vespa (NZ) x On The Move (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: Joseph Pride Rdr: S Clipperton 56
6
3.6
Cap Estel
- 4m Zoustar (AUS) x Our Drahma Queen (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: A J Cummings Rdr: J R Collett 56
7
4.1
Sweet Mercy
- 3f Capitalist (AUS) x Adulterer (NZ) (Traditionally (USA))
Tnr: David Payne Rdr: Tim Clark 54
8
7.0
Tinnie Winnie
- 5m So You Think (NZ) x Wind Bender (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 58
9
7.1
Our Modena
- 6m Tavistock (NZ) x Miss Zenella (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: S I Singleton Rdr: Ellen Hennessy 57
10
8.2
Chenin
- 4m Pierro (AUS) x Sookie (AUS) (Casino Prince (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: Tyler Schiller 56
11
8.8
Leisa Louise
- 6m Dundeel (NZ) x Besame Mucho (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Luke Pepper Rdr: J Ford 52.5
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