Boban gives rivals a belting

Bernardini’s brilliant start to the 2013/14 Australian racing season continued September 21, when four-year-old gelding Boban became his third Australian Stakes winner in the past eight days with a devastating win in the G3 Bill Ritchie Handicap over 1400m at Randwick.

Boban settled midfield in the early stages before dashing through a gap and quickly putting the race beyond doubt at the 300m mark. Jockey Glyn Schofield eased the gelding up over the last 100m but he still held close to a four-length margin on the line.

Such was the ease of Boban’s win, he is now rivaling fellow Bernardini four-year-old Toydini for G1 Epsom Handicap favouritism. Toydini won the G3 Cameron Handicap at Newcastle on Wednesday which followed the win of Bernardini filly Forever Discreet in the Listed Morphettville Guineas last Saturday.

With three Stakes winners already this racing season, Bernardini trails only Exceed And Excel and Fastnet Rock, who both have four Stakes winners, on the leading sire’s by Stakes winners table.

Bred by Tony Thomas, Boban is the sixth winner but only Stakes winner for G1 AJC Oaks winner Kenbelle. Boban also won the Listed Doomben Slipper as a two-year-old.

Bernardini’s first two Australian crops have produced six Stakes winners including G1 winner and Champion juvenile of New Zealand last season Ruud Awakening.

Bernardini is standing the current season at Kelvinside at a fee of $33,000 inc. GST.