Final Fling For Franco (Sunday 22nd April 2012)

 
Bruce Stewart

 

Franco Ledger won his final start for the season when he easily took out the Hecton Products Southern Country Cups Final at Ascot Park today.

"He'll go out for six weeks and then start all over again. We decided not to sell him and to race him through as far as he can go. It'd be nice to have a competitor in Cup class." said Hunter who hopes to aim the horse for Cup week in Christchurch in November.

 

The Country Cups win caps off a stellar season for the four year old which has won the Wyndham, Waikouaiti and Central Otago Cups and finished second in the Invercargill, Wairio and Gore Cups.

"He's developed really well through the Country Cup system which was our aim. We wanted to measure how he went and see where we were at. It's been a huge success for him."

 

Franco Ledger has banked $88,776 this season from fifteen starts for five wins, three seconds and one third for the What Ever Syndicate and Hunter, who share in the ownership. He has now won twelve races and is assessed at C9.

 

From the 30 metre handicap the Falcon Seelster entire settled third last. He moved into the one one when Poacher improved to sit parked. He was off three wide just before the top of the straight and quickly put pay to his opposition, beating Donthavtime by two lengths with Cracker Black a further one and a quarter lengths back in third. He ran his last 800 metres in 55.7 with the last 400 metres run in 26.2.

"He got away well and we got a pretty good run after that. Everything fell into place. He felt good all the way and at the 600 he felt really good."

 

 

Out on his own Franco Ledger

 

It was Hunter's second win in the Country Cup Final, successful with Russlands in 2009.