Backed into favouritism late, the punters were keen on Bankers Choice who looked well placed after running sixth, beaten 3.4 lengths by Zaaki in the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last start.
A Group 3 winner in New Zealand, Bankers Choice had run eight times in Australia and seven of those had been at either Group 1 or Group 2 level, never running poorly.
His last start put the writing on the wall he was ready to win the right race and trainer Mike Moroney was relieved he got the job done, scoring by 2-¼ lengths over the easing second pick, Atishu.
“He’s a very smart horse. He’s a bit quirky but he’s got real ability and it’s just been a matter of getting things right. I was a bit worried before they turned for him when he had to put one on his bum to get him going, but he did quicken up really well,” Moroney said.
By Mongolian Khan, a winner of two Derbies and a Caulfield Cup, Bankers Choice has only run past a mile at his last two starts over 2000m but Moroney is wary of stretching him over further.”He’s bred to be a 2000-metre horse being by Mongolian Khan and that’s about as far as he wants as there is a bit of speed on the dam’s side,” Moroney said.
With the field spread out off a genuine tempo set by third place-getter Sirileo Miss, jockey John Allen was able to get out wide into better ground despite drawing barrier one, collecting his third Ballarat Cup in five years.
When I started to improve at the 600 metres, his wheels started to paddle a little bit, and I was worried there for a little bit, but once I got stuck into him and asked him to respond, he really did pick up for me. He got out on the better ground and was too strong,” Alllen said.
With the first win under the belt, Moroney confirmed Bankers Choice is likely to spell now and target better races in the Sydney Autumn.
“He’ll go to the paddock now and he can go to Sydney again for the autumn, all going well. He ran fifth or sixth in the Doncaster, so we’ll map a program for him in Sydney, I would think.”
