Currently, Darwin trainer Jo Banks has one horse in her stable, and Sweet Cheval dominated his rivals at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
The five-year-old gelding was backing up after a first-up 11th in a field of a 11 over 1000m (BM54) on January 14 following a spell dating back to a second on Darwin Cup Day behind We Will Remember over 1600m (0-58) on August 1.
However, the son of Sweet Orange saluted for the first time in 15 months on the weekend over 1200m (BM54) after settling three lengths adrift of the early pacemaker, Familja, in second place before assuming control mid-race to seal a comfortable two-length win.
With in-form jockey Sonja Wiseman on board, Sweet Cheval, who has now won four races from 13 starts for Banks, was never in danger of defeat, saluting at $7.50 after being quoted at $17 earlier in the day.
Phil Cole’s $5.50 hope Courageous Hearts (Emma Lines) and Gary Clarke’s $4.20 favourite Chief Mondo (Jarrod Todd) filled the minor placings, but in general it was a one-act affair.
Three weeks ago, Sweet Cheval settled mid-field before falling away and Banks was at a loss as to why he performed so poorly.
“Sonja is an outstanding rider and she gave him a great ride, and it was a beautiful result for me,” Banks said.
“Much improved run from his first up start this prep, I can’t explain that run at all.
“He got a bit of a knock at the start and he’s used to racing fairly handy on the pace.
“His rider Paul Denton came back and said he just didn’t handle the kick back whatsoever.
“He got a lot further back than what he is used to and Dash (Denton) said as soon as the kick back started hitting him he just started shaking his head and just didn’t want a bar of it.
“I was probably a little surprised to see him get beaten by 20 lengths, I certainly wasn’t expecting that.
“The horse pulled up well, so I elected to push on.
“I did question that perhaps he didn’t cop the back up from the trial (January 10) so quickly.
“That was the only thing we could put it down to.
“Structurally he was fine, he seemed well within himself, so it was a bit of a ‘hands in the air’ one.
“Obviously, he produced on Saturday what he can do and has done in the past.”
Darwin R3 replay | 4/2/2023 | Sweet Cheval (1st)
After two poor efforts in Victoria in June 2020 to kick off his career for trainer Michael Moroney, Sweet Cheval had five starts for Goulburn trainer Matthew Dale for two seconds, a third and two fourths.
Next thing you know, he ends up in Darwin.
“I did a lot of research when I initially bought him and it was with a view to run him in the Darwin Guineas in 2021,” Banks said.
“But when he arrived he was in absolutely horrendous condition.
“He got off the truck and I thought, ‘oh, my god, I’ve paid $15,000, what am I going to do?’.
“It took a long time to get him back to the races, it’s why he missed all the three-year-old races which in hindsight has probably been a good thing.”
All of Banks’ hard work paid off as Sweet Cheval won on debut at Fannie Bay in an 1100m maiden in October 2, 2021 – his first start in seven months.
“He won three straight and looked like he was going to be quite a handy little horse, and then the wheels kind of fell off,” she said.
“Nothing serious, but he had a few little niggles.
“I’ve just always elected to take my time with him because he was still filling out, he was still quite immature when he arrived.
“When you have a stable of 20 you can afford to be a lot harder on them because you’ve got back up – whereas I do look after him like a Cup favourite because he’s the only one I’ve got at the moment.”
Banks, who has fulltime employment away from the racetrack, plans to back Sweet Cheval once again at the Darwin meeting on Friday.
“I was hoping to run him in the 0-58 (1300m), but they’ve actually bumped him up four points (60),” she said.
“I will have a crack at the 0-70 over 1200m providing he comes through this week OK.”
Banks had her first runner as a trainer in South Australia in 2011 and has only featured in 37 races during her career with Boltin’ Henry, Gogocanny, Tramps Like Us – who won a Bordertown maiden in October 2017 before debuting in Darwin in July 2018 – and Sweet Cheval.
In his other nine Top End starts, Sweet Cheval has managed two seconds and three thirds.
“I’ve had a licence for a long time, but there was quite a few years when I didn’t have a horse in work – but I was doggedly determined not to give it up and I’m really enjoying Sweet Cheval,” she said.
“He’s probably the best named horse because Cheval is French for horse – Sweet Horse – and he certainly is, one of the nicest horses to deal with.
“Training might be a bit of a hobby, but everyone needs a purpose in life and that horse and the other horses I’m associated with, they sort of give me the motivation to get up each day and have something to look forward to – have a goal, have a bit of a dream.”
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