Banana Queen might not ever climb the Black Type ladder Gerald Ryan thought she was capable of as a three-year-old, but the trainer remains hopeful she will continue to progress through the grades.
Banana Queen might not ever climb the Black Type ladder Gerald Ryan thought she was capable of as a three-year-old, but the trainer remains hopeful she will continue to progress through the grades.
The four-year-old daughter of So You Think stretched her record to three wins from eight starts when she charged home from near the rear to win over 1400m in BM72 grade at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Ryan, who trains with Sterling Alexiou, had Queensland Oaks aspirations with Banana Queen last year, which were scuppered by a throat issue, but she has put them behind with back-to-back wins.
“When she first started, she ran second at Kembla then won at Rosehill and we put her away to get ready for Queensland,” Ryan said.
“She came back and developed a throat problem and she had to have an operation, but she’s come back well.”
Banana Queen was given a patient ride by star apprentice Dylan Gibbons, who settled in the final three runners before peeling wide rounding the home turn and unleashing a powerful finishing burst that carried Banana Queen ($3.70) to a narrow-but-convincing win over Sweet Mercy ($4.20).
Zelady Luck ($12) was 1-1/4 lengths away third with luckless $2.90 swiftbet favourite Elettrica the same margin away fourth.
“I had to put her into it a bit sooner than I would have liked, but I had to make sure I got there and she did that with ease,” Gibbons said.