Franco Ledger takes out last night's Sokyola Sprint at Tabcorp Park Melton.
Smart Kiwi Franco Ledger made a winning Australian debut for trainer/driver Geoff Webster in last night’s Renown Silverware Sokyola Sprint at Tabcorp Park Melton.
The seven-year-old Falcon Seelster/Lets Scoot Franco entire joined the Webster camp about three weeks ago and has wasted no time having an impact as he targets TAB.com.au Summer of Glory riches.
“He’s been a really nice acquisition to the stable,” Webster said.
“He’s been contesting the better quality races all his life over in New Zealand against Christen Me and Terror To Love etcetera. The owners rang me up out of the blue and asked if I’d train him, so it was a nice surprise.”
Webster said he was thrilled with how powerfully Franco Ledger let down from the back of the field out wide in the 1720m sprint last night, hitting the line stronger than Restrepo and Blucolla Tigerpie (fourth and fifth respectively) who both enjoyed good runs midrace.
“He did surprise me a bit how quickly he picked them up,” Webster said.
“I didn’t think he could pick them up from back there. He hit the line really well.”
Franco Ledger rated 1:53.7 with third and fourth splits of 28.2 and 27.6 after leader Im Barney Rubble went 28.6 and 30 for the first two quarters of the final mile.
Villagem ran on strongly at big odds to run second beaten 1.2m for Glenn Douglas, while Cold Major ran a mighty race for third after whipping around the field early to face the breeze.
Franco Ledger will line up in next weekend's Horsham Pacing Cup.
Meanwhile, Australasia’s best trotter Keystone Del continued his winning ways with a powerful victory in the Lenin Trotters Free-for-All for trainer Nicole Molander and reinsman Blake Fitzpatrick.
The seven-year-old by Dr Ronerail out of Flipside notched his 12th straight success, defeating Kyvalley Blur by 3.4m in the 2240m Group 3 event in a rate of 1:59.0.
Emma Stewart took training honours at Melton with a winning double via Ideal For Real in the Decron Horse Care 3YO Pace Final over 2240m in a rate of 1:57.8 and The Good Times in the VHRMA Graham Goffin Memorial over 1720m in 1:54.7.
Driver Gavin Lang drove Ideal For Real, also picking up a double on the program after steering My Zach Bromac to success in the Cogs Pace over 2240m for trainer Adam Kelly in a rate of 1:56.6.
Smart Terang pacer Jilliby Royal won the Tabcorp Park Melton Pace Final over 2240m for trainer/driver Glen Craven, the three-year-old gelding comfortably too strong for runner-up Glencore in a rate of 1:56.2.
Punters who found The Smiler were grinning from ear to ear, the Lance Justice trained and Chris Alford driven eight-year-old too strong for Metro Mike in a rate of 1:56.6 in the TAB.com.au Pace over 2240m, paying $46.30 on the tote.
Other winners were Glenferrie Typhoon for Craig Demmler and Jodi Quinlan in the Seelite Windows and Doors Trot over 1720m in 1:58.1, Kyvalley Pink in the University Food Group Trot over 1720m for Chris Lang and Chris Svanosio and Enjoy An Ale for David Van Ryn and Damien Wilson in the Sky Racing Trot Final over 2240m in a rate of 2:05.0.
The final four races on the night, all trot events, were beamed into France live for the trots-adoring French harness fans to wager on.
This is a significant coup for the Victorian trots industry and provides an important financial boon for HRV.
