News

Banner Emulates Dad

19th Jun 2010

Starspangledbanner became the second Australian-bred winner of the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes when emulating his sire and fellow Inglis graduate Choisir at the famous Royal Ascot carnival overnight.

While the King’s Stand Stakes has proven to be rich pickings for Australian horses, the Golden Jubilee has been more elusive, with no horse having won since Choisir in 2003.

However, STARSPANGLEDBANNER ($120,000, 2008 Premier, 3c Choisir-Gold Anthem) was able to change that trend with a sustained burst of speed over the six furlongs straight course.

The colt proved a wonderful investment for Newmarc Bloodstock, having secured him from Tony Santic’s Makybe draft, before being sold to Coolmore Stud earlier this season.

A dual Group 1 winner in Australia, Starspangledbanner was transferred to the stables of Aidan O’Brien following his successful autumn campaign. Like Haradasun before him, Starspangledbanner was able to replicate his Group 1 Australian form in O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stables.

He joins Choisir and Takeover Target as Inglis success stories at Royal Ascot.

Notably, Starspangledbanner was the first horse to win one of the rich Inglis $2.6million Race Series events, when winning the $250,000 Inglis Juvenile at Moonee Valley in October 2008.

His sire Choisir (Danehill Dancer) was a $55,000 graduate of the 2001 Inglis Classic Sale in Sydney and he paved the way for Australian success at the Royal Ascot carnival.

His son will join him on the Coolmore Australia roster this year, once his European campaign has concluded.