Star Quality. Banaadeer looks a very smart and exciting sort in the making and he could go in again
Mike De Kock’s exciting Australian bred Banaadeer put up a spectacular debut performance at Turffontein on Guineas Day last Saturday. He returns to the same venue this weekend and the professional athlete looks to have the R150 000 Listed Storm Bird Stakes at his mercy.
SA champion trainer Mike De Kock has had far too many decent horses for the team to get overly excited when one of the bombs steps out for the first time.
Chip Off The Old Block
In his Dad’s absence in Dubai, assistant Mathew De Kock Mathew was transparent about Banaadeer’s ability, but was naturally cautious about labeling Sheikh Hamdan’s two-year-old as a ‘good thing’ on Saturday. But as it turned out Banaadeer produced a flawless performance in the soft drizzle on his first visit to the track.
He landed running, raced into the lead, kept a straight course and looked like he never came out of a strong canter, with jockey Antony Delpech looking over his shoulder fully 300m from the line.
Outclassed
Delpech actually didn’t move a finger as Banaadeer strode further and further away from five totally outclassed young rivals who were in a contest of their own for second. The official margin was 8,25-lengths and Delpech commented: “This is a smart colt and I hope I can stay on him!”
Mathew De Kock conceded that the performance was quite spectacular to watch, but stressed soberly that the strength of Banaadeer’s handful of co-runners was wholly unknown.
Good Thing
Banaadeer faces nine rivals on Saturday, including the Lateral colt Fabrizio whom he beat by 8,25 lengths. Fabrizio would naturally improve a few lengths on his debut and also receives 3kgs from his conqueror. The scary thing is that Banaadeer will also improve.
Spies Quartet
Smart Debut Win. Corne Spies’ grey Captain Al gelding Kiss Me Hardy showed good ability at his first start
As is normally the case, trainer Corne Spies is an enthusiastic supporter of the 2yo races and he saddles four runners. The Favour Stud owned All The Bids beat Law Enforcer easily at his third start but then ran unplaced behind Captured Wind over the course and distance next time out.
Spies’ smart debut winner Kiss Me Hardy beat three of Saturday’s field and despite racing green turned in a good performance. Motivate Mambo shed his maiden certificate in Kimberley at his third start but has run poorly on turf and looks held here.
Spies’ quartet is made up of the only filly in the race in Jo Malone. She won against her own sex at the second time of asking and is a precocious speedy sort who could hang on for place money.
Red Strike
Piere Strydom rides the smart debut winner Raise The Red for Lucky Houdalakis. The son of Slew The Red was well beaten into second by Captured Wind next time out, but had all of Commentator (3 lengths), Law Enforcer (3,75 lengths), All The Bids (4,75 lengths) and Motivate Mambo (14,25 lengths) behind him.
Leon Erasmus saddles a coupling of Law Enforcer and Commentator. The duo have had three runs apiece with Law Enforcer having beaten his stablemate twice. Law Enforcer looks bred for much more ground than this and he should lack the toe to go with the De Kock hotshot.
Sean Tarry’s Silence Descends was beaten 4,75 lengths by Raise The Red on their respective debuts and now meets the Houdalakis runner on 3kgs better terms.
Quality
Banaadeer is by internationally renowned stallion More Than Ready, who has sired near 250 international stakes winners, from Provence, a stakes-winning mare by the formidable Redoute’s Choice. Banaadeer was among a large number of yearlings bought under Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell banner at the Inglis Australian Yearling Sale last year.
Offered in the Widden draft, he sold for $AUS700,000 to be the most expensive yearling by More Than Ready sold at the 2013 sale. He was also the most expensive yearling by his sire sold in 2013.
Foaled and raised at Widen Stud for client Robert Anderson, Banaadeer is a half brother to the Hong Kong stakes-winner Admiration and is the third winner produced by Provence, herself a three-quarter sister to Hong Kong International Sprint winner Inspiration and stakes-winner Lucky Unicorn. It is difficult to see him getting beaten here.
Storm Bird: A Legend
A son of Northern Dancer, Storm Bird a European champion who sired the great Storm Cat, died in 2004 at the age of 26. Storm Bird, who was pensioned following the 1999 breeding season, sired 63 stakes winners. His greatest achievement came in siring Storm Cat for the late breeder/owner William T. Young of Overbrook Farm.
A grade I winner, Storm Cat became America’s leading sire and the world’s most valuable stallion, standing for $500,000 a season, at Overbrook near Lexington.
Perhaps the greatest advertisement as Storm Bird as a sires of sires came in the 1999 Gr1 Kentucky Derby. The first three finishers–Charismatic, Menifee, and Cat Thief, traced to him in male line. Charismatic, by Summer Squall, went on to win the Preakness and run third in the Gr1 Belmont Stakes. He was voted Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male. Bred in Canada by E.P. Taylor, Storm Bird commanded $1 million at the 1979 Keeneland July yearling sale as part of Taylor’s Windfields Farm consignment. Robert Sangster bought him through the Irish branch of the British Bloodstock Agency.
Trained in Ireland by Vincent O’Brien, Storm Bird was England and Ireland’s champion 2-year-old of 1980 after winning all five starts. The following summer, Sangster and his group sold a 75% interest in Storm Bird to Dr. William Lockridge and Robert Hefner for a reported $21 million.
Storm Bird finished unplaced in his only start at three that fall and was retired to stud with a record of five wins from six starts. He entered stud in 1982 at Ashford (then owned by Lockridge and Hefner). In 1984, Magnier and partners acquired Ashford and took over the management of Storm Bird.
