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| Staff Writer |
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Patience is a virtue rarely associated with horse racing, but for trainer Danny Williams, it's been the cornerstone of his success with the talented but challenging sprinter Bandi's Boy. As the entire emerges as a potential hopeful for the A$20 million Gr.1 Everest, Williams reflects on the arduous journey that has brought them to this point.
"He's one of the slowest learners I've ever had anything to do with," Williams admits. This frank assessment might surprise those who have witnessed Bandi's Boy's recent performances, including his impressive victory in the Gr.3 Star Kingdom Stakes at Rosehill in March. But for Williams, it's a testament to the long road they've travelled together.
Bandi's Boy's story begins with his breeder and owner, the late John Woods, a Lachlan Valley pastoralist and long-time Forbes Jockey Club committee member. The gelding is a son of Brothers At War out of the Hinchinbrook mare Tibidabo.
"John gave me a horse, which we didn't have much luck with. And he promised me another horse, and perhaps even a better one," Williams recalls. That promise materialised in the form of Bandi's Boy.
Tragically, Tibidabo was put down following a paddock accident before her second stallion mating, making Bandi's Boy her only foal. This twist of fate has added an extra layer of poignancy to the gelding's success, particularly following Woods' passing earlier this year.
"Look, I'm sure John will be looking down with great satisfaction. He's had horses for over 30 years, and he finally has bred a good one," Williams says, emotion evident in his voice. "It's a credit to his perseverance and, you know, just a passion for the racing industry as a whole."
Bandi's Boy's journey to the top has been anything but straightforward. His debut in the Gr.3 Kindergarten Stakes at Randwick in April 2022 was a baptism of fire, but showed Williams his faith wasn't misplaced.
"I had to persuade John to let me run," Williams remembers. "And he gave me a bit of free rein. We ran the horse, and he ran the race of his life. He ran fifth, an enormous run. He was caught very wide on the track, and to John's surprise and a few other people, he performed exceptionally better than they expected."
That performance set the stage for Bandi's Boy's maiden victory just three weeks later in the Schweppes Handicap at Randwick. Despite veering dramatically in the straight, he managed to hold off subsequent Group One winner Zougotcha, showcasing the raw talent that Williams had always believed was there.
"He settled outside the leader Command Approved with favourite Zougotcha parked right on his heels," Williams recalls. "Bandi's Boy was on his worst behaviour as he veered almost to the outside fence, looking certain to throw the race away. Zougotcha went as straight as a gun barrel but failed by one length to pick up her erratic rival. Had he gone straight, the gelding would have demolished a filly who went on to win four stakes’ races, including the Gr.1 Flight Stakes."
Bandi's Boy's road to success hasn't been without its setbacks. A freak accident in the stable resulted in a nasty gash on his near hind leg, followed by lameness in the opposite hind leg. The diagnosis was complex, requiring a very long spell and a gradual build-up in training.
"We were horrified to see a nasty gash on the inside of his near hind leg," Williams recounts. "We got him over that setback and immediately got him back into serious work. Next thing we know, he was lame in the opposite hind leg."
The vets diagnosed an abnormal accumulation of tissue within the right hind foot adjacent to the navicular bone. Williams explains. "We took forever to bring him up and by the time we got to the trials, a full year had passed."
But patience paid off. Bandi's Boy returned to form with a vengeance and a strong performance in the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes.
"His last start in the Concorde Stakes was outstanding, given that it was a 1000-meter race, and he came down the wrong section of the track," Williams enthuses. "His last 600 was the same time as Private Eye. And I think had he bought a better gate that day, and had just a little bit more given ground, I'm sure he would have finished much more competitively than he did."
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With The Gr.1 Everest looming on the horizon, Williams is cautiously optimistic about Bandi's Boy's chances.
"He's a horse that is better on a softer surface," the trainer notes. "With a little bit of give to the ground, I'm sure he's going to be very competitive in the Everest. I don't think there's a lot separating the top 20 horses this year heading that way. And I think he's right up there."
Williams' strategy for the coming weeks is clear. "It's always been heading towards the five-race series of the Sydney sprint series," he explains. "We haven't had offers to run the horse in the Kosciuszko on the same day as The Gr.1 Everest, but obviously, we were hoping for the bigger heights."
The trainer is aware of the challenges ahead, particularly when it comes to the competition. "These are horses that tend to wind into these races when they're really on top of the ground," he observes. "The likes of Bella Nipotina and Giga Kick may have a bit too much turn of foot for our horse on top of the ground, but bring them back to a race where they're not able to be in form , as we saw with the horse that I trained two years ago to win the Galaxy, a horse called Shelby Sixty Six—he beat Nature Strip and almost beat Eduardo in the Challenge Stakes."
While The Gr.1 Everest is the immediate goal for Bandi's Boy, Williams is also looking further ahead. "If he wasn't to get a run in The Everest, the Sydney Stakes, on same day has been our second plan. A fortnight after that, you've got the Nature Strip Stakes at Rosehill. I think that's a 1300-meter race that would fall in very well with his program at this point."
International plans for Bandi's Boy are not off the table either, though Williams is taking a measured approach. "Not this year," he says. "The horse has to keep improving, and obviously the races in Hong Kong or something like that could be on the agenda, not too far from home. It's something that we certainly could keep open."
What sets Bandi's Boy apart is not just his racing ability, but his unique personality. Williams describes him as "a bit of an accident-prone horse. Not a great lot upstairs. He's taken a lot of coaching to get to where we are today."
This quirkiness extends to his racing style. "He's got the acceleration to put a couple of lengths on his opposition but it's as though he doesn't want to leave them," Williams explains. This tendency to not finish off his races has been a challenge for the trainer, but also a testament to the horse's untapped potential.
Bandi's Boy's slow learning curve has required Williams to employ innovative training techniques. The trainer has used 'can’t-see-back' blinkers, which allow the horse to not see the other runners on either side, helping to keep him focused during races.
Danny Williams' journey in the racing world is as compelling as that of his star sprinter. The son of respected jockey turned trainer Harry Williams, Danny followed in his father's footsteps, first as an amateur jockey, winning over 500 races, then shedding weight to ride professionally for four years.
His transition to training saw him take on the role of private trainer for the late Alan Cardy, a former Wallaby and notable rugby league player. Under Cardy's patronage, Williams honed his skills, preparing talented performers like Normal Practice, who ran third in the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap.
Williams has also made his mark in the TAB Highway series, introduced in 2015 to support country-trained horses. With 25.5 winners to date, he trails only Matt Dunn (32) on the all-time trainers’ list for the series.
This isn't Williams' first brush with The Gr.1 Everest glory. In 2021, he trained Shelby Sixtysix, who emerged as a surprise Everest hopeful after a meteoric rise through the grades. The gelding's performances, including a win in the Gr.1 The Galaxy, showcased Williams' ability to nurture and develop top-class sprinters.
As Bandi's Boy prepares for his tilt at The Everest, Williams remains grounded, focusing on the day-to-day work that has brought them this far. His dedication is evident; even on a Sunday morning after a big win, he can be found in the stables, tending to his horses.
For Williams, the journey with Bandi's Boy embodies the essence of horse training – patience, perseverance, and a deep understanding of each animal's unique character. "It's taken a lot of work to get to where we are," he reflects. "He hasn't gone without drama."
As he looks to the future, both immediate and long-term, one thing is clear: Bandi's Boy's story is a testament to the power of patience and perseverance in horse racing. From an unconventional learner to a potential Gr.1 Everest hopeful, his journey has captivated the Australian racing world.
Whether Bandi's Boy makes it to the starting gate of Australia's richest race or not, his story – and that of his dedicated trainer – is already one for the ages. The racing world will be watching closely as this unlikely hero continues his ascent in the sprinting ranks, carrying with him the dreams of his late owner and the unwavering faith of his trainer.