SHE is not yet a Group winner like her mother, but Island Banner is still likely to rank amongst the favourites for the 2019 Honouree Stakes Final.
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A four-year-old mare, Island Banner is out of 2005 New Zealand Cup winner Mainland Banner.
Though Island Banner is not in the same class as her mother - who won 17 of her 21 career starts of which five were Group 1s - she showed on Friday night at the Bathurst Gold Crown Paceway that she does have talent.
With star driver Luke McCarthy in the gig, Island Banner was a comfortable winner in the second heat of the Gold Crown Carnival's Honouree Stakes (1,730 metres).
The $1.33 favourite posted an all the way win after going from barrier three.
While she hung a little as she headed into the back straight for the final time, Island Banner always looked in control.
After pinching a 31.2 seconds second sectional, McCarthy urged her to up the anti at the 400m mark.
She straightened with the lead, then found another gear over the final 100m to take the honours and book a spot in March 29 final.
Island Banner finished 5.7m clear of nearest rival Captain Cosmonaut ($14) to post the fifth win of her 16-start career.
"She went good, we had a nice cheap second quarter and she was able to sprint home nice at the end," McCarthy said.
"She travelled pretty good, I was holding her back to the field, she just wanted to get running."
The other Honouree Stakes winners were Rickie Alchin's Mo Casino ($4.80), Shane and Lauren Tritton's Petes Said So ($4.40) and the Michael Formosa trained and driven Si Si Senor ($7.50).
