Blues Cruise! Banaadeer makes it look so easy as he wins Storm Bird Stakes in style (JC Photos)
The Australian bred More Than Ready colt Banaadeer looks something very special in the making and he made it two wins from two runs when slamming his opposition to win the R150 000 Listed Storm Bird Stakes run over 1000m at Turffontein on Saturday. He also registered a hat trick of Australian bred feature wins for the high riding Mike De Kock stable.
Our local breeders battled to grab a word in edgeways as the Aussies and Mike De Kock were rampant in the first three of the afternoon’s six feature races.
Banaadeer had come out only seven days earlier when winning on debut on Gauteng Guineas day and his victory here was just as professional.
And the punting public didn’t want to know about defeat as they voted the colt in to start at a prohibitive 5 to 10.
Bounced smartly by jockey Anthony Delpech, he cruised against the steel as Corne Spies’ smart filly Jo Malone went very fast with many off the bit behind them.
At the 300m marker Banaadeer took it up and he went on strongly to draw clear and win by 3,25 lengths in a time of 57,97 secs.
Banadeer as a yearling
Corne Spies had trumped up his debut winner Kiss Me Hardy as one of the best youngsters in his yard and the grey Captain Al gelding came into contention from too far back to stay on well for second. He should be followed as he won’t meet too many Banaadeers in his career.
Kiss Me Hardy’s stablemate Jo Malone ran a game but well beaten third.
Now an unbeaten winner of two from two, Banadeer took his stakes earnings to R146 875.
Banaadeer is by internationally renowned stallion More Than Ready, who has sired close on 250 international stakes winners, out of 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.
A winner of both his starts, Banadeer boasts earnings to date of R146 875.
