Irish bred Buffalo Bill Cody gunning for Grade 1 glory at Greyville

Buffalo Bill Cody, an Irish-bred son of Redoute's Choice, will step up to Grade 1 company for the first time on Saturday when lining up in the World Sports Betting Champions Cup at Greyville in South Africa.

Mike de Kock's charge – who was bred by Cathal Beale [chief executive of the Irish National Stud], Jack Cantillon and Tinnakill – has won six of his seven starts and will be ridden by top South African rider Gavin Lerena, who was also in the plate for the colt's previous two wins at Turffontein.

Among his nine rivals is Rainbow Bridge, with whom he is vying for favouritism, and Cirillo, who he had the measure of at Turffontein earlier this month.

"It's kind of funny," said his part-breeder Jack Cantillon. "I'm going to the King George on Saturday and I'll be the only person looking the other way in terms of international racing."

View Champions Cup field

Buffalo Bill Cody was in utero when his Sri Pekan dam Buffalo Berry, who was third to Fasliyev in the 1999 Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown, went through the ring at the 2014 Arqana December Sale. Cantillon teamed up with his father Dermot and Cathal Beale to purchase the mare for €52,000.

Jack Cantillon (right): set up Syndicates.Racing who have high hopes of winning the Munster National with Cabaret QueenCredit: Patrick McCann

"Arqana has been a very lucky sale in the past for us," said Cantillon.

"We're always on the lookout for proven mares who've done the business once and can do the business again, and Buffalo Berry very much stood out in the catalogue for us.

"Unfortunately, we were leaving on the Sunday and she wasn't selling until the Monday or the Tuesday, so I said to Peter Kelly of Emerald Bloodstock that there was one mare I really liked later in the sale and asked him to bid on our behalf.

"It was obvious why we liked her - she was Group 1-placed herself in the Phoenix Stakes, she was the dam of a Group 1 horse in Chattahoochee War and was in foal to a wonderful horse in Redoute's Choice, who was in his second season at Bonneval at the time."

Buffalo Bill Cody arrived the following spring, and had his first date with the Tattersalls auctioneer later that year.

"He didn't sell at the December Sale which was very disappointing," said Cantillon. "But we just thought he was the most magnificent foal and thankfully he turned into a magnificent yearling.

"We managed to get 335,000gns for him as a yearling from Form Bloodstock, who are some of the best judges out there, and he went to one of the best trainers in Mike de Kock. He's a credit to Ian Thompson and the team at Tinnakill, as they nurtured and prepped him so well."

Mike de Kock: will saddle the highly rated Buffalo Bill Cody for the Champions Cup on SaturdayCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Buffalo Bill Cody's performances have led De Kock to draw comparisons between the colt and Hawwaam, Rainbow Bridge's younger sibling by Silvano who ranks joint 16th in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings.

"I'm hoping Buffalo Bill Cody has got that X factor," said Cantillon. "This is his first run in a Grade 1 and he's joint favourite. He was unlucky as he was favourite for the Met and couldn't run because of a virus.

"For Mike de Kock to get him back and performing so impressively, and to beat Cirillo, who was second in a Grade 1 the time before, by three and a half lengths, it really struck me that Buffalo Bill Cody is a special, special horse.

"We really hope he can do it, it would be a great testament to the work on the farm if we can produce another Group 1 winner."

Northern hemisphere buyers will have the opportunity to secure a closely related half-brother to Buffalo Bill Cody by Exceed And Excel at this year's yearling sales.

"Buffalo Berry was a wonderful mare and got incredible stock," recalls Cantillon. "She had a Slade Power filly who was bought shrewdly by Mick Donohoe for Mr Zhang [Yuesheng] named Libras Power and she won for Mick Halford at Leopardstown in June.

"Sadly she died giving birth last year to an Exceed And Excel colt, who is an absolute beauty. He really reminds me of Buffalo Bill Cody and they're bred on the exact same lines, being by sons of Danehill. He'll go to the Goffs Orby and we're really excited about selling him there."

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