The powerhouse Godolphin stable finally enjoyed a Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day win in the seventh thanks to a from-behind effort from the progressive Banish in the Moonee Valley Fillies Classic 2017.
Banish was impressive up in grade winning the Group 2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic 2017 on Cox Plate Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The hot pace set by the Tony McEvoy-trained Mintha in this season’s Group 2 $200,000 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic (1600m) allowed those from the back to run on late and swamp those up front.
That included the well-bred Lonhro filly Banish, prepared by James Cummings and ridden to victory by Craig Williams.
“She’s been really well managed and handled by Godolphin,” Williams said post-win.
“She’s been really well placed and she’s going the right way.”
In her first Group test, Banish left her rivals in her wake over the closing stages with a nice finishing burst to defeat fellow backmarkers I’ll Have A Bit (2nd) and Touch Of Mink (3rd) in the Moonee Valley Fillies Classic trifecta.
“I think he waited for the sectionals to really die down before he hit the gas and I think it was the winning move,” Cummings said, praising the ride of Williams.
Banish presented fit and ready to fire on Cox Plate Day in the race the team had picked out specifically for her fifth-up this spring.
“She’s a beautiful Lonhro filly and she’s had a great prep,” Cummings said.
“She’s got a lot of toughness.
“It was great seeing her beating the older mares a couple of times in the past few months.
“She’s got that ability. The stable’s done a really tremendous job to get her to continue to peak towards days like this.
“To get a Group 2 to her name on Cox Plate Day, it’s a great result.”
Banish came off a confidence-boosting Cranbourne victory over 1400m against the older mares, Williams also in the saddle, and relished coming back against her own kind in the MV Fillies Classic.
Her earlier form included the third behind Leather’n’lace in a 1400m Caulfield race where she beat home subsequent Thousand Guineas winner Aloisa (5th).
The Moonee Valley Fillies Classic runner-up I’ll Have A Bit from the Mornington stables of John McArdle also ran in that race finishing fourth, and further franked the form in the Cox Plate Day Group 2 placing following a sixth in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
A next-up option for the best out of the Moonee Valley Fillies Classic results includes a quick back-up into the Group 2 $300,000 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington next Saturday on Victoria Derby Day.
To check out the latest spring racing odds on today’s Moonee Valley Fillies Classic winner Banish next race visit Ladbrokes.com.au.
2017 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic Results & Finishing Order
Moonee Valley Race 7 – 28/10/2017
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | BANISH | James Cummings | Craig Williams | – | 10 | 57kg | $7.50 |
| 2 | 1 | I’LL HAVE A BIT | John McArdle | Jamie Mott | 0.75L | 4 | 57kg | $8.50 |
| 3 | 8 | TOUCH OF MINK | Matthew Smith | Blake Shinn | 1.5L | 5 | 57kg | $10 |
| 4 | 3 | GLAM GURU | Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas | Damien Oliver | 3.5L | 8 | 57kg | $9 |
| 5 | 5 | SPEEDWAY | James Cummings | Kerrin McEvoy | 4.25L | 1 | 57kg | $5.50 |
| 6 | 10 | SHEEZDASHING | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | Ms Katelyn Mallyon | 4.75L | 3 | 57kg | $15 |
| 7 | 11 | A MA SHAY | Pat Carey | Rhys McLeod | 6.75L | 6 | 57kg | $101 |
| 8 | 6 | PAGEANTRY | Anthony Freedman | Mark Zahra | 11.75L | 2 | 57kg | $6.50 |
| 9 | 7 | NOTHIN’ ON ME (NZ) | Aaron Purcell | Patrick Moloney | 13L | 9 | 57kg | $17 |
| 10 | 4 | MINTHA | Tony McEvoy | Luke Currie | 20L | 7 | 57kg | $4.80F |
| – | 9 | ROYAL DISGUISE | Mick Price | Beau Mertens (a) | – | 0 | – | – |
