Bancory Bay Blitz's Bendigo

The determined victory recorded by Bancory Bay at Bendigo on Wednesday may have come as a surprise to those supporting the odds-on favourite Dancing Dolly, but it did not to the stable with this regally bred three-year-old held in good regard.

"He is a horse who has always shown a bit, we've always had big expectations of him," Glen Thompson reported after the bay showed good heart wearing down Dancing Dolly who'd appeared to have had a lovely run out in front.

Having his fourth start, and just his second for this campaign, Bancory Bay had got back from a tricky gate when resuming over 1400m at Sale and was good to the line in a race run to suit those closer to the pace.

An extra 100m was always going to be in his favour with Bancory Bay a horse who is going to "get better the further he goes."

Bred by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, the son of the retired Champion Sire Fastnet Rock, was purchased by PR Bloodstock for $360,000 at last year's 2023 William Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

The 21st highest seller at that sale, and the most expensive of the three Fastnet Rocks through the ring, Bancory Bay is the second foal and first winner for the Gr.1 Flight Stakes winning I Am Invincible mare Oohood who split Estijaab and Sunlight when second in the 2018 Gr.1 Golden Slipper Stakes.

Recently foaling a Maurice colt and a Wootton Bassett filly last year, Oohood is one of the ten winners produced by Bella Sunday, a Sunday Silence half-sister to the outstanding stallion Not A Single Doubt.

The grandam of Coolmore Stud's dual Gr.1 winner King's Legacy, Bella Sunday can also boast amongst her relations the big race winners Snippets, Forensics and Rewaaya.

There is plenty more to come for Bancory Bay with Thompson saying that "he has been a bit of a slow learner, he has taken a bit of time... so onwards and upwards."

Jye McNeil agreed, noting that "he is only going to get better when the penny drops and when gets over longer."

McNeil was happy with how Bancory Bay travelled through the race but admits to feeling "a bit concerned" when the favourite "started to put a margin on us; I thought she was going to get too far ahead to reel in."

"But my horse gave chase really well, whilst still doing things wrong."

"A couple more experiences will provide him with more education and he can go through the grades really well."

The stable also saddled up the fourth placed Gunner who ran a pleasing race at just his third outing, Thompson noting that "he is a nice horse who is going to get better as he gets out past 2000m."