Banana Queen causes minor upset in Group 3 Tibbie Stakes
Banana Queen ($13.00) has produced a career-best performance to secure victory in the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes at Newcastle on Friday afternoon.
The Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained mare was fit and firing fourth-up after a lacklustre preparation, but repaid the faith, barreling down the centre of the course and bolting away with the majority of the $250,000 prize packet.
Kerrin McEvoy navigated to a perfect spot throughout the contest, securing the one-one position, before pushing the button on the daughter of So You Think.
She responded in kind and was far too good, kicking clear to score by 1.5 lengths, leaving Sanstoc ($7.00) and Mirra View ($11.00) chasing in vain.
2023 Tibbie Stakes Replay – Banana Queen | T:Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | J:Kerrin McEvoy
It would be fair to say most pundits would’ve been slightly dissatisfied with the campaign; however, that simply wasn’t the case for co-trainer Gerald Ryan.
He spoke about his five-year-old mare glowingly in the aftermath of her victory, suggesting this was always a target race for the stable.
“We set her for Wyong and today,” Ryan said.
“If she failed it was off to stud.
“First two runs back this time we liked, but we reckon she was too close to the lead and didn’t finish off.
“The other day Dylan (Gibbons) rode her terrific – she ended up in front at the top of the straight and I said to Kerrin (McEvoy) today, ‘just ride her with cover.’
“If I’m perfectly honest I thought she would’ve won a black-type race before she was a five-year-old.
“She’s got a good pedigree by So You Think out of a Fastnet Rock mare, but she’s a lovely big scopey mare too.
“I threw the Shadow roll on and it’s done the trick.”
Banana Queen could be sent to the breeding barn, however, if the stable elects to race on, The Invitation (1400m) on October 28 looms as the most likely objective. Banana Queen is priced at $26 to win in futures markets at horse betting sites.