69th Stakes Winner for Lonhro

Mark Smith - Saturday October 28

As the only filly foal of the stakes-winning Bernardini (USA) mare Meidung, Banish's win in Saturday's $200,000 italktravel Fillies Classic (1600m) at Moonee Valley had special significance for Godolphin.

Placed in the Reisling Stakes, Silver Shadow Stakes, Furious Stakes and Keith Mackay Quality, Meidung earned her stakes win in the Twilight Glow Stakes at Sandown five years ago.

She had just two foals, the 3yo filly Banish and the unraced 2yo Medaglia D'Oro colt Repulse before her death in October 2015.

A daughter of Lonhro, Banish was making her eighth start in the Fillies Classic and owned wins at Ballarat and two at Cranbourne. But she seemed exposed when stepping up to stakes company, finishing sixth in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes won by Shoals.

With Craig Williams in the saddle, Banish stuck to her guns gamely in Fillies Classic, repelling the challenge of I'll Have A Bit (Smart Missile) by three-quarter of a length with Touch Of Mink the same distance back in third (photo Grant Courtney)



We kept her ticking over and brought her to a peak for a race like this.

It's a great effort for a Lonhro filly like her to get a Group II next to her name.

"She's got something about her. She certainly had to show a great deal of determination to make a sustained run.

"She might have found her grand final there and it was a huge effort.".

The dam of Banish, Meidung, was out of a half-sister to another great servant for the Darley-Godolphin operation, the $1.2 million earner Pinwheel.

Banish becomes the 69th stakes-winner for the champion Lonhro.

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.