While the win of Banker’s Choice (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) at Moonee Valley recently may have got under the guard of punters, it wasn’t totally unexpected by the gelding’s trainers.
Prepared by Mike Moroney and Glen Thompson, Banker’s Choice registered his first win in just over two years when successful on December 28 and will chase back-to-back wins in the TAB Australian Cup Race Day 29 March (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
“It was good to see him win again,” Thompson said.
“We had been really happy with him at home. All the way through he had been working well, and we had been expecting him to run better, but he had been a little disappointing.
“Even last prep he raced well without winning. He ran third in a Toorak and his form had been good, but just this prep he had been disappointing.
“It was good to see him bounce back last start and hopefully it gives him a little bit of confidence going forward.”
Banker’s Choice had been winless since taking out the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) in December 2022, accounting for Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel), but had been placed in Stakes company in between those victories.
Consequently, Banker’s Choice paid the price for that consistency being forced to run in races that were potentially outside his class range.
Having raced in Stakes races through the spring, without success, Banker’s Choice dropped to benchmark 100 grade with his win at Moonee Valley last time, the same grade he’s racing in on Saturday, which sees the gelding lining up against Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) placegtter Okita Soushi.
“For this time of year, it’s quite a strong race, but at his best, he can mix it with the best of them,” Thompson said.
“I suppose he’s been a victim of his own good form in some respect because he’s just kept that high benchmark rating.
“It’s hard once they get up there, they don’t drop too quickly, but we’re not the only ones having to deal with it.
“It can be frustrating. No one is out to try and play games, but you’re only doing harm by the owners’ in not dropping them a little bit faster than they do.
“It would give every horse a chance because a lot of horses get to that high benchmark where it makes it a little tricky and hard to win, so often they just need to be in that one grade lower.
“Hopefully that win last time gives him that little bit of confidence and we can see him win again.”
