Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Hardy veteran pacer Hampton Banner has survived three operations and a fractured pedal bone and is still a force to be reckoned with in open company at Gloucester Park.
The New Zealand-bred eight-year-old, trained by Debra Lewis, is certainly a wonderful warrior, as he showed on Friday night when he set the pace and scored a fighting victory over the $2 favourite and quality six-year-old Swingband in the $31,000 Gloucesterpark.com.au Pace.
Hampton Banner, a $16.50 chance, was driven assertively by Jocelyn Young, and he boosted his record to 94 starts for 17 wins, 20 placings and $344,488 when he burst straight to the front from the No. 5 barrier and then held Swingband at bay in the breeze. He sprinted over the final 400m sections in 27.5sec. and 28.2sec. and rated 1.55.5 over the 2130m journey.
“He relishes being out in front,” said Young. “We got there easily enough, and I was able to back it off in the last part of the lead time. I wasn’t seriously concerned with Swingband on our outside because he had done a bit of work and was having his first start for five weeks, whereas Hampton Banner has had plenty of racing recently. And he is now hitting the line more genuinely.”
Part-owner Mark Lewis said he was more than happy that Hampton Banner had been able to come back after his injuries and compete strongly.
“He has done a good job, and it looked a suitable race for him tonight when he had a good chance of getting to the front,” he said.
“Before resuming racing early last year Hampton Banner broke a rear pedal bone (after finishing second to Shockwave in May 2023).” This kept the Bettors Delight gelding on the sidelines for ten months — and he is now completely sound after racing 30 times in 2024.
“He has had three surgeries on his hind leg, following a couple of fractures in his cannon bone,” said Lewis. “A screw was inserted and then had to be removed after it was causing a bit of pain. He also survived an infection after surgery.”
Hampton Banner had ten starts in New Zealand for three wins as a three-year-old in 2020 before being sold to Lewis and five stable clients. His first two WA starts produced a second placing before the injury to his nearside hind leg kept him out of action for eleven months. He resumed with a first-up fourth, followed by six wins in a row at Gloucester Park.
There was plenty of drama in Friday night’s race when the $2.65 second fancy Lavra Joe was finishing strongly, out six wide, approaching the home turn when he was checked and locked wheels with Machnificent ($8).
This incident forced Ryan Warwick to shift outwards with $31 chance Alcopony, and the sudden movement resulted in Alcopony’s bit to snap, leaving Warwick without steering and then locking wheels with Machnificent.