Nearea Franco secures NZ Cup start
Classy Canterbury mare Nearea Franco showed exactly why harness racing's ultimate staying test, the NZ Cup over 3200m is right up her alley, when she fought back after being headed at the top of the straight, to win the final leadup race, the Group Two $50,000 Alabar Kaikoura Cup at Kaikoura today (Monday).
Competition for entry into this year's New Zealand Cup has been fierce with many runners in todays Kaikoura Cup needing a win to guarantee them of final field selection.
But it was the tough Spreydon Lodge owned 6yr old Badlands Hanover mare that left no doubt that although unlikely to missout she was deserved of her spot in tuesday week's $1 million event. Slowly but surely away from the all important stand start, the Steven McRae trained mare settled near the pace early on for regular pilot Craig Thornley, before making a mid-race move to take up the lead from Smoke N Mirrors.
The attacks started to come from the back at the 800m, but it was Rider On The Storm who popped out from a handy position on the outer in front of the 3wide train, to force the issue with the leading duo of Nearea Franco and Georgetown, who had been left parked for most of the trip. By the time they straightened for the run home, driver John Dunn had hit the front with Rider On The Storm, the winning post firmly in his sights.
But the effort after being forced to sprint early was to finally take its toll on the Live Or Die gelding, with Nearea Franco seemingly flat at the turn, showing that never say die attitude that has won her so battles previously, fighting back on the inside to down the Rider by half a neck. A further 1-1/4 lengths to the brave Georgetown. The winner stoping the clock in a time of 2.59.9 for the 2400m stand, 800 in 56.6, last 400 in 27.6 on a sunny Kaikoura day.
Trainer Steven McRae enthused with the run suggesting natural progressive improvement before the cup next week.
"She does all her fastwork at the beach now, and I think its really helped."
It was win number 10 for Spreydon's finest and took her earnings past the $300,000 mark. Nearea Franco has now firmed from $31 into $21 for the NZ Cup courtesy of her latest win.
THE STATS:
Top Driver: Ken Barron and Mark Jones 2 wins each.
Top Sire: Live Or Die and Christian Cullen 2 wins each.
Top Trainer: Peter Jones and Ken Barron 2 wins each.
Top Junior Driver: Dexter Dunn 1 win.
Results from the Kaikoura Trotting Club's meeting held at the South Bay Racecourse in Kaikoura today (Monday) were:
Race 1: The Peter Jones trained WEE BROTHER (Elsu) Mark Jones.
Race 2: The Paul Nairn trained and driven MCCREADY (Wrestle).
Race 3: The Ken Barron trained and driven SOUNDS ALIVE (Live Or Die).
Race 4: The Peter Jones trained VATUVEI (Monarchy) Mark Jones.
Race 5: The Cran Dalgety trained BAND ON THE RUN (Christian Cullen) Dexter Dunn.
Race 6: The Tim Butt & Phil Anderson trained HOON HAY (Christian Cullen) Anthony Butt.
Race 7: The Steven McRae trained NEAREA FRANCO (Badlands Hanover) Craig Thornley.
Race 8: The Ken Barron trained and driven VIENNA BROMAC (Courage Under Fire).
Race 9: The John Hay trained and driven HOUDINI STAR (Sundon).
Race 10: The Graeme Hall trained FINE HOLMES (Live Or Die) David Butt.
Extensive results.
Steve DOLAN
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