Race Images Palmerston North
Quality mare Francaletta has added black type performance to her impressive pedigree with a priceless victory at Hawera.
The half-sister by High Chaparral to the European stakes winner Asset soared to another level on Saturday when she won the Gr.3 Rich Hill Stud Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes.
“The only thing we were a bit worried about was the track,” said Andrew Forsman, who prepares the five-year-old with Murray Baker. “She was drawn in and they were getting off the fence, but thankfully it’s all worked out.
“I’m not sure how many more starts she might have this time in, but now she’s won a stakes race we can sit back a bit and pick and choose.”
Any fears about the going were quickly allayed when rider Michael Coleman bounced Francaletta, who is raced by prominent owner Lib Petagna, away quickly to get outside the leader Aide Memoire
.
“I got a spot outside the one I thought would be the horse to beat and she was travelling like the winner all the way,” he said.
“I went a bit soon as she can be prone to hit a flat spot, but she was just travelling so well.”
After a brief tussle, Francaletta got the better of Aide Memoire to win for the sixth time in her eight start career.
“She’s a good mare and it’s lovely to get some black type for her,” Coleman said.
Aide Memoire fought on gallantly nearer the rail to finish runner-up with last year’s winner Underthemoonlight a distant third ahead of Let Her Rip. – NZ Racing Desk.