Trainer-reinsman Robbie Williams was concerned when his inexperienced four-year-old Franco Sheriff was in a capricious mood during the on-track preliminary before the $27,000 Taste Of WA Next Friday Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Despite going into the race with only eleven starts under his belt --- against eight rivals who had between them a total of 831 starts --- Franco Sheriff was a warm $2.30 favourite from the No. 1 barrier.
“He was throwing his head around in the preliminary which seemed to be bothering him,” said Williams. “So, I removed the nearside pole pricker, and thankfully he didn’t hang down during the race.”
Franco Sheriff was beaten for early speed by Louie Lebeau ($23) and Cams Boulder ($12) but he was able to hold up and lead. He then set a solid pace and went on to win comfortably by three lengths from Louie Lebeau and Infinite Sign ($5.50), rating 1.57.5 after final quarters of 28.6sec. and 28.8sec.
This took Franco Sheriff’s record to twelve starts for five wins, two placings and $46,770. He won once from six starts in New Zealand and his six WA starts have produced four wins and one third placing.
“The early speed revved him up a bit, and with the horses out wide firing up out of the gate helped him, and he had never travelled like that before,” said Williams. “Usually, he is too lackadaisical.”
Williams was impressed with the way Franco Sheriff performed, and he is considering nominating him for the Golden Nugget preludes in the next couple of weeks.
“He is very lightly raced and is starting to get used to our style of racing,” said Williams. “After the way he went tonight we might have a look at running in the preludes.”
Franco Sheriff is raced by a band of 18 enthusiastic stable clients. “A friend of mine in New Zealand rang me and recommended that I should purchase him,” said Williams. “I had a look at him and quite liked him, and he wasn’t an overly expensive horse. And it is great to have a big syndicate and have so many people involved in harness racing.”
Franco Sheriff is by former star pacer Vincent and is the second foal out of Bettors Delight mare My Shieldmaiden, who raced 16 times for one win, six seconds and $13,117 in stakes.
My Shieldmaiden’s dam Alta Serena was an outstanding pacer who earned $593,618 from 21 wins and 21 placings from 62 starts. She won at 18 of her 51 New Zealand appearances and was successful at three of her eleven Australian starts.
Alta Serena won several feature events, including a group 1 race for three-year-old fillies at Addington in May 2003 and the 3200m group 1 Easter Cup at Addington in April 2005. She also finished second to Mainland Banner in the group 1 New Zealand Cup in November 2005.
