Indie in the zone

Bruce Stewart Contributor

Blair Orange pulled the right rein in today’s harness racing feature at Omakau the $40,000 Group Three Ranfurly Transport Ltd/RD Petroleum FFA.

Orange knew todays feature was always going to be tactical. Driving Franco Indie (Always B Miki) out of barrier two in a small field, when One Change showed the most intent from the barrier and sped to the lead, he dropped Franco Indie into the trail.

“He’s quite a high speed horse and up in this company he’s better suited with one run. He worked a bit off the gate but after that he got a nice run and Blair looked after him from there,” co-trainer Nathan Purdon said.

Turning in, Ohoka Connor was making his run out wide. Orange saved ground and used the passing lane to beat a game One Change by half a length.

“If he gets a run like that, he’s pretty lethal.”

Franco Indie winning at Omakau today (Darrell Phibbs Photo)

Franco Indie’s time of 2-22.4 was just outside the track and race record of 2-22.2 held by the 2019 winner Funatthebeach.

“It’s good to see him back in form because early on he looked like quite a smart horse. He had some tough runs as a three year old which probably put him on the back foot. He had six months out in the paddock so he could fill into his frame. He’s a light framed tall athletic type. He seems to have filled into his frame now, he looks the part and he’s racing accordingly,”.

Purdon says whilst there are races for horses like Franco Indie, they need continuing support as there are not large numbers in that grade.

“Hopefully with races like this available it’ll keep these types of horses for these types of races. We just have to rely on owners to hold onto their horses now and fill the fields, because today’s field just got off the ground.”

It was Franco Indie’s ninth win in just twenty six starts and he’s now won three of his last four. It was the gelding’s second Group win. He won the Group One 2021 Sires Stakes Final for two year olds at Addington.

Purdon says Franco Indie will return to the All Stars Rolleston barn.

“He’s had a couple of runs over 2800 metres on the grass, so we’ll see how he comes through the run. We might give him a wee break or race in the Northern Southland Cup. We’ll make our minds up in the next two or three days. Before today we were probably leaning towards freshening him up. Like I said he was out for six months, so he’s been in work for some time and done all this on this preparation.”

Some of the big crowd at Omakau today (Darrell Phibbs Photo)

Co-trainer Mark Purdon won the Omakau feature with Classic Cullen in 2008 with his then training partner Grant Payne, and also in 2019 with Funatthebeach, in partnership with Natalie Rasmussen.

Franco Indie has a multitude of owners including major studs Nevele R and Alabar as well as the Always ‘B’ Syndicate.

Earlier in the day the well-bred Built For Glory (Bettor’s Delight) also part owned by the Always ‘B’ Syndicate cleared maidens, impressively winning the non-win mobile. He’s trained by Steve and Amanda Telfer and was driven by Tim Williams.

Winton SBSR vendor Julie Baynes is preparing a half-sister to Built For Glory by Downbytheseaside for the NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Christchurch next month whilst Spreydon Lodge is preparing a full brother to Franco Indie for the Sales. Lot number 192, it’s called Franco Ibrox.