Narrow but impressive win by Michael Francis

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33580, 8 July 1974, Page 9

Narrow but impressive win by Michael Francis

Michael Francis came into reckoning for the major flat races at the Grand National meeting next month when he beat \\ indvale Boy narrowly and 14 others easily in the 11. H. Fraser Memorial Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday.

Until now Mr and Mrs M. F. Billington’s consistent Kurdistan gelding has been regarded mainly as a “mudlark” of some stature over a hit of ground. But the way'

he managed Saturday’s metric mile on a track wHich .could only be described as near perfect for this time of the year those opinions could well be revised. Michael Francis’ performance convinced his connections that it would be well worthwhile going ahead with plans to have a tilt at Winter Cup honours on Grand National Steeplechase day. In the meantime, their six-year-old will probably have another test as a metric miler in the Claremont Handicap at the South Canterbury Hunt meeting on his home course next Saturday week. Although Michael Francis won by only a neck his performance certainly impressed his rider, M. J. Skelton, for he was giving all liis rivals a start into the last 800 metres, then had to make his run very wide, yet had the situation well in hand throughout the last 200 metres. There was also merit in Windvale Boy's effort for he was only a place or two ahead of Michael Francis when the whiner began his big run from the back but it was hard to find excuses for any of the others. INQUIRY HELD Maclane, third in a gap of four lengths, and Butch, a close fourth, battled on fairly well after sharing the fourth line till the home turn. These two were followed in by the odds-on favourite, Zarnia, who performance was the subject of an official inquiry. Zarnia’s trainer, L. H. Pratt, explained that the mare was suffering from a seasonal complaint and her rider, D. E. Reed, who settled ttie favourite far back and on the Inside, told stewards that he was unable to improve his position until late in the race. The H. IL Fraser Memorial was the first leg of the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double. The second leg, the Beaconsfield Handicap, was won by the Ashburton trained My Game. My Game, which had made an unsuccessful start to a fresh campaign on his home course

a fortnight early, improved from a trailing position to challenge My Jet for the lead early in the run home and ran the 1200 metres out strongly to win byhalf a length from Hagen’s Cloud, one of the tail-enders 800 metres out. My Jet was a length back third. She saved that place by a nose from Willebank, another strong finishing from far back. TWO FOR MORTON My Game, which is raced in partnership by ins trainer. J. Lalor, and Mr C. L. Moodie, was the second of two winning rides for tlie Riccarton apprentice, K. W. Morton. Morton also combined successfully with Binkie, a Lalortrained Greek God filly, which finished strongly to beat the Trentham-bound Brava Bella by a length in the first division of the Caroline Stakes. Wingatui youngsters dominated the finish of the second division with Take Your Leave winning by a head from Rayallan. A double for course patrons only was run on the Caroline Stakes. The Binkie—Take Your Leave combination paid $5.85 for SI and Rayallan’s backers had to settle for a concession dividend of $1.95.