Trained by John Sargent and ridden by James McDonald, Banchee (Oratorio x Miss Jessie Jay) settled back last in transit before coming home powerfully to run down her rivals in the straight.

John Sargent was very happy with the performance and the way Banchee is progressing coming into the spring, and is looking to kick off her campaign in September.

“We will look at starting her campaign in a nice open sprint in a few weeks, perhaps at Ellerslie, and give her a couple of starts in New Zealand to get her in peak condition before taking her over to Australia.”

“Her ultimate aim for the spring is the Group 1 Myer Classic in Melbourne. There is plenty of room in the Flemington straight which she will enjoy as it gives her time to wind up like she did in the Karaka 3YO Mile last season.”

Banchee wins the Karaka 3YO Mile

Without doubt her headline performance of last season, New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka 3YO Mile, which has since been upgraded to a black-type race, showed that Banchee has lost none of her class. In a strong race, she came from the back of the field and wide on the turn, and blitzed her rivals with an unmatched and sustained burst of speed, winning the event by two-and-a-half-lengths.

Another Pencarrow owned filly named Grande Vitesse (Fast ‘N’ Famous x Romanee St. Vivant) is also gearing up well for the spring, also scoring at the jump outs today. The unraced filly, trained by Graham Richardson, has now won both of her jump outs in preparation for the trials.

From the famous Pencarrow family, her dam Romanee St. Vivant is a daughter of Romanee Conti, which makes her a half-sister to the Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal. She is currently leased by a group of staff from New Zealand Bloodstock Ltd, Pencarrow Stud and Vela Fishing Ltd.