Smokin Bandar bows out

Grey trotter Smokin Bandar (Monkey Bones) has been retired from harness racing.

The eight year old who was nominated for this November’s Renwick Farms Dominion Handicap, a race he ran second in last year, hasn’t been himself for his Wyndham trainer Craig Ferguson so the call was made to retire the eight year old.

“They said in the last couple of weeks he just hasn’t been any good. He’s being going out there and not wanting to trot and pacing instead. He’s been an angry horse. They got the vet Craig Stalker to look at him and he suggested that we finish up. We thought about doing something else but then decided to retire him,” breeder and part owner Tom Kilkelly said.

Smokin Bandar will have six months in the paddock at Kilkelly’s Tisbury property and then be rehomed.

“I don’t think it’ll be a problem rehoming a nice grey horse.”

Raced by Kilkelly, his wife Julie and Holly and Shea McKenzie, Smokin Bandar qualified at Gore in December 2018 for Kirstin Green and Tank Ellis.

He had five unplaced runs for the partnership before he was transferred to Craig Ferguson’s stable. He ran last at his first start for his new barn before winning his first race at Winton in a Gold Chip Final, beating favourite Peregrine by three and a half lengths. He was 12/13 in the betting and paid $44.40 and $10.80.

In 43 starts he won 13 races and was placed a further eight times, earning his connections $195,833.

His biggest payday was when he ran second to Oscar Bonavena in last year’s Dominion Handicap.

Other highlights were finishing third in the Group Three Southern Lights at Ascot Park, second to Muscle Mountain in the G3 Ashburton Trotters Sprint and second to Muscle Mountain again, in the G3 Canterbury Park Trotting Cup. He also won an FFA Trot at Omakau.

“Running second in the Dominion was a highlight, but winning at Omakau was exciting.”

Smokin Bandar won eight races at Addington, four at Winton and one at Omakau. Ferguson drove him to win nine times, Mark Hurrell twice and Kerryn Tomlinson and Max Hill once.

“It’s been unbelievable. Not many people get a horse in the Dominion let alone running second in the race. He’s been an absolute pleasure and he’s been a lovely horse.”

Smokin Bandar was also honoured at this year’s Southland Harness Awards, named 2023 Southland Horse Of The Year.

Although the distinct grey will be missing from this year’s Dominion, Kilkelly has a worthy replacement in up and coming trotter Fiery Bandito, a half-brother to Smokin Bandar.

Smokin Bandar created a huge following in Southland and across the rest of the country. He helped put his young trainer’s name in the spotlight at Addington and set the pathway for other successful trips north by Ferguson.

Meanwhile Fiery Bandito was back at the Wyndham Workouts today before he heads back north where he’ll be stabled at Amber Lethaby’s West Melton barn for the next three weeks.

“We just wanted to get his standing start confidence back and he’ll race in handicap races for the next few weeks up there,” trainer Kirstin Green said.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink