Back to the well for Waikato Stud with acquisition of Banquo
At first glance, it makes perfect sense why Waikato Stud would have been attracted to a yearling bred the way Banquo (Written Tycoon), the stud’s latest addition, is bred. When the well is deep, why not go back?
Since the announcement that he will join a formidable stallion line up, it has been well publicised that Banquo, as a yearling, was an imposing type, who made a huge impression at the 2018 Gold Coast Magic Millions sale.
Garry and Mark Chittick would no doubt have spotted both Last Tycoon (Try My Best) and Century (Better Boy), close up in the colt’s pedigree.
Their O’Reilly and Centaine are not only sons of Last Tycoon and Century respectively, they are also the two stallions that underpin the huge successes enjoyed by the Matamata establishment.
O’Reilly secured four New Zealand Sire Premierships and has already posted his name on two Champion Broodmare titles. Centaine’s two Champion Two-Year-Old Sire titles have since been added to with six Champion Broodmare Sire premierships. Their daughters are pure gold.
In Banquo’s case, Last Tycoon is his paternal great, great grandsire, through Iglesia and Written Tycoon, the latter having just wrapped up the 2020-21 Australian Sire Premiership. However, there is more to Banquo than Written Tycoon, although the fact that he is the first by his sire to stand in New Zealand is a superb conversation starter.
Triple Group 1 champion Last Tycoon was a brilliant sprinter, claiming the King’s Stand Stakes (Gr 1) at Royal Ascot and the York Sprint Championship (Gr 1) both over five furlongs, yet stretched his class to the mile of the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Mile (Gr 1) at Santa Anita.
Banquo’s third dam, Rehearsed, is a daughter of Century. For good measure, Century’s sire Better Boy (My Babu) appears again as the sire of Written Tycoon’s third dam, Viveza.
Century, too, was a brilliant sprinter. Among his eleven wins (five at two) he scored heavily at Flemington including the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 6f), the Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 5f), the Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) as well as pair of Group 2 races there.
Another key is that the stud’s foundation sire Centaine is out a mare by Vain (Wilkes) who just happens to be the sire of Written Tycoon’s grandam Miss Entertainer.
Another connection with Centaine is the obligatory presence of Star Kingdom (Stardust). He appears via Todman, sire of Centaine’s grandam Rain Shadow and also shows up (twice) in Iglesia’s tail female line, courtesy of Biscay and Noholme.
As a yearling, Banquo was knocked down for $600,000, compared to the $230,000 his older sister Booker made, two years earlier at the 2016 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale.
At the time of Banquo’s first public appearance at the Gold Coast, Booker already owned a Group 2 success in the Caulfield Thousand Guineas Prelude (Gr 2, 1400m) the previous October. She confirmed her ability with a Group 3 victory just days after the Magic Millions sale when she took out the Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m), also at Caulfield.
A year later, in February of 2019, Booker finished strongly over the final 100 metres of the Oakleigh Plate (1110m), to bag Group 1 honours.
Later that same year, Banquo’s dam, Noondie (Flying Spur), made $600,000 at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale and in 2020, also at the Chairman’s Sale, Noondie’s daughter Booker made a hefty $1.6 million when purchased by Tom Magnier.
Magnier outlayed $380,000 for Banquo’s Capitalist (Written Tycoon) three-quarter brother in 2020 and earlier this year, at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sales, Banquo’s brother fetched $620,000.
Judging from those numbers, Bruce Perry and company are not the only party that rate Noondie’s foals.
Banquo broke his maiden at his fourth start and immediately followed that with a Listed win at Flemington over 1400 metres in the Springtime Stakes. His 35.38 seconds for the last 600 metres was quicker than the Chatham Stakes (Gr 3), won by Reykjavik (Artie Schiller) over the same distance later on the card.
He then backed up seven days later in the Sandown Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m), peaking late to run a fighting fourth.
A short break saw him return to run third over 1100 metres at Flemington then to Caulfield and the Autumn Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m), finishing a gallant second to Microphone (Exceed And Excel), fighting hard only to lose in the last few strides.
Back to sprinting and proving how quick he really was, he led the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) field past the 200 metre pole than kept on solidly for fifth behind Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible), Gytrash (Lope de Vega) and Zautori (Zoustar), all Group 1 winners. Behind him were Group 1 winners Exceedance (Exceed And Excel) and Tofane (Ocean Park) with triple Group 2 winner Libertini (I Am Invincible) further back.
In his second start at four, the Bobbie Lewis Quality (Gr 2, 1200m) at Flemington, he again ran into this year’s Newmarket Handicap winner Zautori, chasing hard and was within half a neck at the line, the last 600 metres being run in a slick 32.77 seconds. Tofane was third.
His latest preparation resulted in two Flemington placings, second in a Listed 1200–metre race and ending his career in running fourth in the Aurie’s Star Handicap (Gr 3, 1200m) at the beginning of August.
Above, is detailed the record of Banquo’s Group 1 sister Booker. Their dam Noondie is a half-sister to Perth Listed winner and Group-placed Tranquility (Redoute’s Choice) while his grandam, Creatrix (Umatilla) was also a Listed winner in Perth.
Creatrix ranks as a three-quarter sister to dual Toorak Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Umrum (Umatilla) who put together 14 wins, 12 of which were stakes. Umrum also managed eight Group 1 placings.
Umrum made the Toorak his own, winning it twice, finishing second once and third twice.
Banquo descends from a half-sister to a legend, that being Australian Hall of Famer Tobin Bronze (Arctic Explorer). Before being exported to the USA, “The Bronze Bullet” won 24 of his 44 races and the list of his wins is one to savour including, at his final Australian start, the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 10f), in which he was defending champion.
In three seasons he also scored the Doncaster Handicap (Gr 1, 8f), the Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 12f), the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 12f) and the Mackinnon Stakes (Gr 1, 10f). In the Caulfield Cup he carried a crushing 9st 10lbs.
Banquo’s fifth dam, Delta Bronze (Coronation Boy) is the connection to Tobin Bronze, she being his half-sister. Their dam Amarco (Masthead) won the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 12f) and also foaled South Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 12f) winner Persian Bronze (Agricola).
Plenty has taken place within the family since Tobin Bronze however, including Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Kenwood Melody (Royal Academy), whose grandam is a sister to Tobin Bronze.
Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 12f) victor Galena Boy (Boysie Boy) is from a sister to Tobin Bronze. Flying Luskin (Luskin Star), winner of the Wellington Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) is from a half-sister with South African Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner The Delegator (Bluebird) being from a half-sister to Flying Luskin.
And the last words go to Mark Chittick: “We are really happy to have Banquo here. There are several similarities between Banquo and Centaine, starting with their race records. Centaine was just a notch away from Group 1 success but he could run. So can Banquo who has had the odd niggle but has plenty of ability. We didn’t see his full potential but he has a fabulous pedigree and is a great type.”
“When Centaine started out he got 34 foals in his first crop for nine stakes winners. His initial service fee was $4000, the same as for Banquo, but Banquo will get a lot more mares. We know that because he has a great syndicate and with our mares, we will support him,” said Chittick.
Continuing, Chittick reflected: “If Centaine could do it, so can this guy. For some examples of non–Group 1 stallions that have gone on to great things, you can add I Am Invincible, Not A Single Doubt and over in Europe, Kodiac, so he’ll get his opportunity.”