Written Tycoon’s stakes-winning son Banquo to stand at Waikato Stud this year
Stakes-winning entire Banquo (Written Tycoon), the younger brother to Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) winning sprinter Booker, has been retired to stand at Waikato Stud in New Zealand on the eve of the breeding season.
Raced by Waikato Stud’s Mark and Garry Chittick and partners including agent Bruce Perry, Lib Petagna and Jomara Bloodstock, Banquo won the Hilton Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at three for trainer Danny O’Brien who prepared the well-bred son of reigning champion sire Written Tycoon (Iglesia) for all bar two of his 16 starts.
Banquo was also placed behind Group 1 winners Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice) and Microphone (Exceed And Excel), both of whom retired to stud in Australia last year, as an autumn three-year-old while he also finished fifth in the 2020 running of the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m).
By the same sire as sire sons Capitalist, Ole Kirk, Dirty Work, Winning Rupert, Written By and Rich Enuff, he also split Group 1 winners Zoutori (Zoustar) and Tofane (Ocean Park) when finishing second in last year’s Bobbie Lewis (Gr 2, 1200m), also down the Flemington straight course.
Banquo will stand for an introductory fee of $4,000 (plus GST) after connections made the late call to retire him from racing after finishing fourth in the Aurie’s Star Handicap (Gr 3, 1200m) at Flemington on August 7.
“Banquo is an incredibly good-looking horse and he was very talented,” O’Brien said.
“He won a stakes race at his third run as a three-year-old and raced very well for us the following spring, just beaten in a Group 2 race at Flemington as a four-year-old.
“He’s a genuine Group-class sprinter that unfortunately we didn’t get to see at his best.”
Perry selected Banquo on behalf of the syndicate from the draft of Mill Park Stud at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Purchased for $600,000, he is one of three winners out of Noondie (Flying Spur), a half-sister to Listed winner Tranquility (Redoute’s Choice) and the stakes-placed Impassioned (Redoute’s Choice).
“Banquo made a statement as soon as he walked out as a yearling. He had presence and quality,” Perry said.
“He was a very athletic and good moving yearling. Waikato Stud has an incredible history of success and for Mark to take him on shows the belief he has in Banquo.
“It’s pretty special for Banquo and his owners, as we know he will get every opportunity. Waikato Stud don’t get it wrong very often with their stallion selections.”
Banquo is the fifth first season sire to be launched in New Zealand this year, joining Cambridge Stud shuttler Hello Youmzain (Kodiac), Windsor Park Stud’s Circus Maximus (Galileo), Novara Park’s King Of Comedy (Kingman) and Ancient Spirit (Invincible Spirit) who is standing at White Robe Lodge in the South Island.