Wilgerbosdrift’s high-class stallion Flower Alley came up with an eye catching debut winner on Saturday. His three-year-old son Banyan made the perfect start to his career when he made a winning debut at Turffontein.
Under Louis Nhlapo, the Johan Janse Van Vuuren trained gelding stormed home to take Saturday’s J R Van Der Linden Maiden Plate (1000m) by just over a length and a quarter. Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Banyan races for the Stonebridge and Wernars families.
Banyan, a three-parts brother to the Flower Alley sired G2 winner Maharanee, was a R500 000 buy from the 2024 August Two Year Old Sale.
He is out of the Dynasty mare Chakri, and is thus bred on the same Flower Alley/Dynasty cross as dual Oaks winner None Other.
Banyan’s half-sister Molten Rock made R400 000 at the recent August Sale.
The sire of such champions as I’ll Have Another, Princess Calla and Lukes Alley, Flower Alley had two-year-olds make up to R575 000 at the recent August Two Year Old Sale.