Boban Banned From Australian Racing

Five-time Group 1 winner Boban has been banned from Australian racing after he suffered a bleeding attack in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Boban will no longer be allowed to race in Australia after he suffered a second bleeding attack in the Futurity Stakes. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Boban will no longer be allowed to race in Australia after he suffered a second bleeding attack in the Futurity Stakes. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Boban received a three month ban when he bled for the first time in the 2014 edition of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick and his second bleeding attack this weekend means that he is no longer allowed to race in Australia.

Connections have the option to send Boban to race in the United States, but trainer Chris Waller implied that the enigmatic gelding would likely be retired from racing.

“I will tell them that of course they have the option of continuing to race the horse in America as their rules are not as strong as ours,” Waller said.

“Of course he could well be retired as he’s been a very good horse to all involved in him.”

Boban made his racing debut under the care of Anthony Freedman in 2012 and he proved an inconsistent galloper in the early stages of his career, but he showed what he was capable when he recorded an astonishing win un the Listed The Phoenix (1350m) at Doomben during the 2012 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

He was transferred to the care of Chris Waller in 2013 and he added another victory to his racing resume, but it was during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival that he stamped himself as one of the most talented horses in the country.

Boban started his campaign with a win in the James McCall Retirement Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 31 and he went on to take out the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m), Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m), Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m).

The son of Bernardini was unable to maintain that level of consistency for the rest of his racing career, but he took out the 2014 Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1400m), 2015 Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) and 2015 Group 1 Orr Stakes (1400m).

Boban finished his racing career with 11 wins from 37 starts and he accumulated almost $3 million in prizemoney for connections.

A sad day for the Waller stable was rounded out when imported galloper Silverball bled during the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Royal Randwick on February 27.

Silverball previously bled during his racing career in Hong Kong and like Boban he has now been banned from racing in Australia.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.