ROYAL FLIGHT HEADS THE LIST OF FRANCOLIN MONEY-SPINNERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 94, 21 April 1945, Page 18

ROYAL FLIGHT HEADS THE LIST OF FRANCOLIN MONEY-SPINNERS

Fi Paper Money mare, Francolin, dam of Royal Flight, who dead-heated with Signal Officer in the Riverton Cup and won the Awarua Handicap, principal event at the Southland races on Saturday, has been one of the most prolific producers at the stud in Southland in recent years. Her progeny have won £11,427 in stakes, a total which is certain to be considerably increased. Royal Flight is the second of Francolin's produce to win over middle distances— Night Wings being the other. It has been as sprinters that they have raced with such distinction. Dark Flight, Ortyx, Royal Flight, Gold Flight and Winning Flight were all winners as two-year-olds Francolin is a member of the same family as Cerne Abbas, a New Zealand Cup winner, so it is not surprising that she has left winners over middle distances as well as champion sprinters.

The Francolin family is likely to be represented for some years to come. The only colts Francolin has produced have been Dark Flight (by

Nigger Minstrel), Victory Flight (by Man's Pal) and a colt which she

has at foot by Nizami. On the three occasions that Francolin was mated with Salmagundi she produced fillies —Royal Flight, Bonny Flight and a yearling which, has. been, named Special Flight. A two-year-old from Defaulter from Night Wings, owned by Mr. J. A. Smaill, of Dunedin, has been named Arcotes. A Paper Money Mare Francolhi was carrying Ortyx when she was purchased by Mr. D. M. Tweedie, of Riverton, 10 years ago. At that time she was being bred from by Mr. R. M. Greenslade, of Dunedin. As a two-year-old she contested 18 races, winning three of these and being eight times placed. She was placed in her first three starts. Her successes at this age were at Invercargill, when she carried 9.3 and beat Stealth and Night Lad; on the same course when she beat The Graphic and Blue Metal and at Riccarton, when with 9.2 she won the Russley Plate over five furlongs in 1.02. Francolin failed to win a race as a three-year-old, but she won three times the next season, and did not race after her fifth year.

Cup dead-heat was her first attempt over ten furlongs, and she again proved herself over a middle distance when she won the Awarua Handicap with 9.3 in the saddle.

Bonny Flight has proved one of the best sprinters in the country as

a three-year-old this season, and in a short time she has won her way from hack company to the best sprint company in the land. She has won six races and been four times placed, including a third in the New Zealand Oaks and the Dunedin Guineas. Her winnings to date amount to £1680. Francolin is now in her nineteenth year, and the value of the young stock Mr. Tweedie has from her, Victory Flight (by Man's Pal), Special Flight (by Salmagundi), a colt foal by Nizami—and she is in foal again to Nizami —would probably approach the aggregate winnings of the whole family to date. Family's Earnings The stake earnings of her family are as follow:— £ Royal Flight (by Salmagundi) ... 3,560 Night Wings (by Salmagundi) ... 2,212 Bonny Flight (by Salmagundi) .. 1,680 Gold Flight (by Nigger Minstrel) 1,530 Dark Flight (by Nigger Minstrel) 1,190 Winning Flight (by Winning Hit) 630 Ortyx (by Lord Warden) 625 Total *'11,427

The heavy two-year-old racing she did did not impair her stamina at the stud and her progeny have all been gifted with the early racing brilliance that she possessed. Since she was secured by Mr. Tweedie in 1935 Francolin has produced a foal every year.

Francolin is one of a host of Paper Money mares to gain distinction as an outstanding producer in recent years. Her dam, Philomela, a Benzonian mare, also produced Monoxide, Bon Avis, Dioxide, Tea Chat, Traymela, Invoice, Cyllaros, and others. Monoxide was the dam of a New Zealand Cup winner in Cerne Abbas, as well as Custodian, Ma Cheri, Red Royal. Monoxsol, Carbon and Stainless. Philomela was out of Philomel, by Birkenhead from Arethusa, by Dreadnought from Dryad, a St. Leger mare from Wood Nymph, by Musket. Night Wings Won £2212 The first of Francolin's progeny was the Nightmarch mare Night Wings, which won 11 races and was 13 times placed for £2212 in stakes. As a five-year-old she won the Autumn Champion Plate at Riccarton, and the following season her principal success was the Otago Handicap over ten furlongs and a half at Wingatui. She dead-heated with Passaform over one mile, two furlongs and a half at Wingatui, and won the Birthday Handicap over the same distance.

,Dark Flight was an outstanding three-year-old, but unfortunately his career was cut short because of bleeding. At this ase he finished third in the Stewards' Handicap at Riccarton and on the final two days of the Cup meeting he beat the open sprinters over six furlongs in 1.9 2-5 and 1.9 4-s—being the only horse in New Zealand to better 1.10 for six furlongs twice. With Silver Scorn he is the six furlongs record holder for New Zealand. He won six races in a brie! but brilliant career. Ortvx, by Lord Warden, was one of the best two-year-olds of the year —the same season as the first of the Beau Peres appeared. She won only once, but she was six times placed in 13 starts. This was her most successful season, as her strenuous two-year-old effort seemed to tell on her in her later racing. She won £625 in stakes, more than half of it as a two-year-old. Gold Flight (by Nigger Minstrel) was another outstanding two-year-old. She won the Hopeful Stakes with 9.3 at Wingatui in the record time of 1.1 1-5 for the five furlong journey. She won seven races and was ten times placed for £1540. Winning Flight won the McLean Stakes as a two-year-old, and her only other success was as a three-year-old at Riverton. Her winnings have so far amounted to £620. Gay Flight has appeared only once, as also has the two-year-old Victory Flight. Royal Flight's Place To date, Royal Flight has been the most successful of the .family, her winnings amounting to £3560. In five starts as a two-year-old she won once and was four times placed. At three years she won the John Grigg Stakes, the Dunedin Guineas, the Whyte Handicap at Trentham, and finished the season by winning six races and being three times placed for £1830 in stakes. Her Riverton