Blandford investment in mare continuing to pay off

[Wandering Eyes]

An investment in an English mare more than 30 years ago is continuing to reward Blandford Lodge, with a homebred descendant successful on the opening day of The Championships at Randwick.

The John O’Shea-trained Good Banter appreciated the step up in distance to claim the Gr.3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) and double her winning tally from a handful of appearances.

“It was fantastic to get a win on that day, it was really good and being by Tavistock out of that family she was always going to be a middle-distance filly,” Blandford Lodge’s Graham Bax said.

“I think she will carry on to be an Oaks type, I don’t know whether she would run in Sydney and maybe they’ll lean more toward the Queensland Oaks (Gr.1, 2200m).”

Good Banter was bred by Blandford and on their behalf sold by Blue Gum Farm at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for A$280,000 to Louis Le Metayer’s Astute Bloodstock.

“We’ve been involved with the family ever since I bought (fifth dam) Polly Soleil more than 30 years ago off Ron Denby,” Bax said.

By Roi Soleil, Polly Soleil was a half-sister to Avon Valley who stood at stud for Denby and sired Group One winners Avon Angel, Sir Avon and Valley Of Carome.

Among Polly Soleil’s four winners was Soleil Rouge, who was a two-time Group winner, and more recently they have featured in the pedigrees of the Blandford-bred and sold three-time Group One winners Danzdanzdance and Lucia Valentina.

“Soleil Rouge was a good mare to me and (multiple Group winner) Silky Red Boxer is from the family, which we’ve obviously still got offshoots of,” Bax said.

“There’s a whole range of them, it goes on and on and then there’s Katie O’Neill, who is the dam of She Will Be Loved who won the Gr.2 Sir Edward Manifold (1610m).”

The recent Gr.1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) winner Lady Laguna is another decorated member of the family.

Blandford graduate Ahuriri, out of Lucia Valentina’s half-sister Mackenzie Kate, also ran in the Adrian Knox with the Chris Waller-trained filly finishing midfield.

The daughter of Almanzor was sold at Karaka to Waller and Bax and wife Helen-Gaye’s daughter Kylie for $210,000.

“Good Banter and Ahuriri, who Chris rates a bit, were in our paddocks here at home and grew up together,” he said.

Good Banter is a daughter of the Savabeel mare Danza Kuduro, a half-sister to Danzdanzdance and Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) winner Le Gai Soleil.

“We raced Le Gai Soleil and she’s back here with a Wootton Bassett colt at foot and is in foal to Proisir,” Bax said.

Bax initially sold Danza Kuduro at the Premier Yearling Sale for A70,000 and she subsequently won three races.

“I kept in touch with one of the guys that bought her off me and he texted me and said we are going to retire the mare,” he said.

“I thought I need her back because Danzdanzdance was going pretty well so I got hold of (agent) Bruce Perry.

“I asked him to get hold of the owners of Danza Kuduro and see if you can buy her for me, which he did.”

The mare’s unraced Ocean Park filly, named See Me Dance, was sold at Karaka for $70,000 in 2023 to Wylie Dalziel and Peter Moody with Danza Kuduro now in foal to Starspangledbanner’s multiple Group One-winning son State Of Rest.

“It’s been a fantastic family and Kylie was well-rewarded this year when she sold a Per Incanto filly out of the family at Karaka for $280,000 to Wexford Stables,” Bax said.

She is a daughter of the unraced Mastercraftsman mare Ouzo, dam of the Group performers Aspen Colorado and Canuhandleajandal.

“We’ve still got plenty of the family around, so hopefully it keeps us all going,” Bax said. 

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