Slipper Fits Franco
14 July, 2018
Harness
Tim Walker
Picture: Soctt Hamilton Media
There was to be no doubt coming away from the Group 1 Golden Slipper (2130m) at Gloucester Park last night that Franco Edward is the star two-year-old in Western Australia.
The colt had to wait an extra 20 minutes for the result to be made official, after Mark Reed, driver of the second horse across the line Bletchley Park, lodged a protest.
Stewards dismissed the objection, and the result was made official.
The American Ideal colt was a late drifter in betting, starting a $3.30 second elect on TABtouch, with stablemate Soho Thunderstruck starting favourite from barrier one.
Trainer-reinsman Kyle Harper was forced to settle towards the rear of the field from barrier 11, as Soho Thunderstruck took the lead.
Harper then made his move in the home straight on the penultimate lap going up three wide on the outside of leading pair Soho Thunderstruck and Shockwave.
Bletchley Park, who won the Slipper Prelude last week, had the perfect run behind Soho Thunderstruck and was camped over the leaders coming to the home turn.
However, Franco Edward was too tough in the finish, and held on to win by a half-head from Bletchley Park, reversing the result from last week’s Prelude.
Its Rock And Roll showed sharp improvement on his recent form, running a game third, while Soho Thunderstruck and Shockwave faded to finish fourth and fifth respectively.
Harper said he was always confident the protest, for alleged interference in the home straight, would come out in his favour.
“It was pretty suspenseful…you have got to win them on the track first, and then deal with it in the stewards room,” he said.
“There wasn’t much in it, but you don’t like to be in that situation.”
Harper said it was a tricky race to navigate, and was concerned he may have made his move too early.
“I’m ecstatic, it’s just enormous by the horse,” he said.
“During the race I thought ‘I have to go, but the horse can’t win if I take off now’.
“I was in a rock and a hard place, but to his credit he has done an enormous job and he makes me look good.”
Harper confirmed both Franco Edward and Soho Thunderstruck would head for a break after a long campaign, but said he expected a better showing from Soho Thunderstruck.
“I was a little bit disappointed,” he said.
“I thought he would have finished a little bit closer, but he is a two-year-old looking for the paddock.”
The win took Franco Edward’s record to three wins and two seconds from his five career starts.