Breeding feat to When You’re Hot
By Peter Wharton
Rather a notable breeding feat was credited to the McArdle mare When You’re Hot when three of her progeny won within 24 hours in Australia recently.
The two-year-old colt Colorado Banner (by Art Major) started the ball rolling when he came from midfield to win at his debut in 1:59.9 at Pinjarra (WA).
The following day Blazing Banner, a three-year-old gelding by Rock N Roll Heaven, and Zahven Banner (by Bettor’s Delight) both led throughout at Menangle. Zahven Banner clocked 1:52 and Blazing Banner 1:53.
Dennis and Dianne Moore
The trio were bred by Christchurch couple Dennis and Dianne Moore, the principals of Banner Bloodstock, a breeding enterprise founded in 2005.
A son of Dudley Moore, a part-owner of champion pacer Caduceus, Dennis always had an interest in horses having grown up on Poplar Farm Stud run by his father, who stood the leading imported stallions Lumber Dream and Tuft and ran a small training establishment.
He later pursued a career in teaching while dabbling with horses in his spare time. “After retiring from teaching and setting up Banner Bloodstock, I started breeding seriously and purchased three very expensive, well bred yearling fillies with the intention of trying them on the track and then breeding from them,” Dennis said.
“When You’re Hot was one of them. She did not make it as a racehorse.
“I have only ever bred from three or four mares each year and in recent years all have gone to the sales. With one exception (a very expensive well bred mare I purchased to breed from) all the mares I have bred from have been good producers and all have produced $100,000 earners – in many cases several.
“The best horse I’ve bred is Mainland Banner. Her dam was not one of the expensive purchases. Mainland Banner should be in the Hall of Fame. What she achieved in her short racing career will probably never be repeated,” Dennis said.
Mainland Banner boasts the distinction of being the only four-year-old mare ever to win the NZ Cup and she achieved the feat at only her 12th raceday start!
Corporate Banner, the dam of Mainland Banner and one of Banner Bloodstock’s foundation mares, was bestowed with the prestige NZ Standardbred Breeders Association’s Broodmare Excellence Award in 2017.
“I bred Corporate Banner myself from one of my father’s breed,” Dennis stated.
The dual NZ Cup placegetter Titan Banner ($340,853), Mako Banner ($308,291), Sezana ($344,891), Mach Banner ($250,051), Trojan Banner ($204,258), Hampton Banner
($181,788), Crusader Banner ($157,222), Christian Banner ($116,723) and Ruby Banner ($101,040) are among the other smart performers bred by Dennis and Dianne.
A couple of years ago Dennis sold the farm and downsized his broodmare band.
“When You’re Hot was put up for sale and she struggled to get $2,000. She sold to Western Australia. The same purchaser liked the breed and bought Colorado Banner from the NZ yearling sales the following year,” he said.
The WA group have since purchased Lightning Banner, a Sweet Lou yearling colt out of When You’re Hot.
All told, When You’re Hot has produced eight foals of racing age and seven have won with six taking records of better than 2:00 and three earning in excess of $100,000, Cyclone Banner being the richest with $181,495 and Zahven Banner (1:50.3) the fastest.
They have won 70 races and amassed $643,165 in stakes between them
Unraced, When You’re Hot was out of a capable racemare in Twice As Hot (1:59.6), by In The Pocket from the grand producer Twice As Good (1:56.5), by Butler B G and tracing eventually to the taproot Lady Ajax.
When You’re Hot ranks as a half-sister to the dual Inter Dominion Final placegetter and South Australian Pacing Cup winner Flaming Flutter 1:49.2 ($878,819), the Victorian Listed winner Two Times Bettor 1:52 ($222,555) and last year’s Vicbred semi-final winner Fiamma (1:54.2)