Franco Edward Capable Of Living Up To Very Good Trial
20 March, 2019
Harness
Trainer-reinsman Kyle Harper believes star colt Franco Edward is more than capable of upstaging short-priced favourite Patrickthepiranha in this Friday night’s Intersport Slater Gartrell Western Gateway (2536m) at Gloucester Park.
Franco Edward attracted national headlines when he took out a 2150m trial at Byford on Sunday by approximately 80m, as he tuned up for his final WA Derby lead up run.
Harper said he wouldn’t get carried away with the trial win, given the largely inexperienced opposition.
“It was a nice easy trial for him,” he told RWWA Harness.
“A few might have been outclassed against him, but it was nice to get that extra bit of fitness into him for Friday night.”
Patrickthepiranha continued his outstanding run of form in last week’s Sales Classic (2130m), where he held off a fast finishing Walsh.
Last week’s win, together with drawing barrier one, has seen him installed a $1.38 favourite with TABtouch ahead of Major Trojan ($3.70) and Franco Edward ($6).
While Patricktheprianha has drawn favourably in barrier one, Major Trojan and Franco Edward had little luck drawing barrier eight and nine respectively.
Franco Edward is one of just two runners in the field to have run over the 2536m journey, something which Harper said would play into the colt’s hands.
“The draw is not ideal, especially with Patrickthepiranha drawing one,” he said.
“The 2536 makes it interesting and this is a stronger class of race.
“In the shorter races, if you drew well it was your race to lose.
“The previous three-year-old races over the 2130 there have been two or three standouts in the race.
“It won’t be quite as simple as Patrickthepiranha leading and winning this week, but he will be mighty hard to beat.”
Harper said he would wait to see what happens in the early stages of the race before he committed to going forward or back from the outside barrier.
At his most recent start, Franco Edward sat outside leader Eloquent Mach and ran home in 55.2 to overpower the Gary Hall Snr-trained pacer.
That performance led Franco Edward’s owner Robert Watson to describe the three-year-old as potentially the best horse he has owned.
Friday night’s Western Gateway will be the final opportunity for most runners to press their claims for the Group 1 WA Derby on April 5.
Major Trojan is the $3 favourite for the WA Derby, while Franco Edward is a $7 chance.
Harper said Debt Free Charlie shaped as the best of his chances on the remainder of the program.
Meanwhile, Soho Thunderstruck, who was fourth behind Franco Edward in last year’s Golden Slipper, was unplaced at his return to Western Australia.
Harper said the three-year-old didn’t handle the warm conditions and would still look to press on to the WA Derby with him.
“The ambulance was late on course, so he had a pre-race warm up then had to basically come straight back out on to the track for the race,” he said.
“It might have been too much for him.
“He’s a classy three-year-old, so hopefully he will bounce back quickly.”
The Western Gateway gets underway at 7.50 on Friday night.
Tim Walker
Image: Scott Hamilton