Storming run home by Frangelico nabs Master Mood

Press, 27 January 1988, Page 38

Storming run home by Frangelico nabs Master Mood

By

JEFF SCOTT

Frangelico, most unlucky in her recent racing, gained an overdue win at the expense of the favourite, Master Mood, in The Regent of Auckland Free-For-All at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting at Addington last evening.

The rugged six-year-old mare has raced consistently throughout her first full season in the top grade. Last night’s win was her second this term from 15 outings, for $73,815, while her career earnings now stand at $125,675, the result of 11 from 36 lifetime starts.

Her Kerrytown trainer, Richard Brosnan, has waved away a trip to Sydney for the InterDominions with the daughter of Golden Fulla and Kara Kara, feeling she is better suited to racing on the roomier New Zealand tracks.

The $90,000 Motorcorp Honda 2000 at Addington and the Ashburton Breeders’ Stakes, in which she paced a career best mile of 1:57.9 last year, are races on her programme next month. Frangelico’s dam, Kara Kara, which won eight races, was purchased cheaply at the yearling sales in 1971 by the mare’s Pleasant Point breeder, Mr Hamish MacPherson, who has no intention of surrendering Frangelico to would-be purchasers.

“National Bloodstock made enquiries about this

time last year, but 1 started the game as a hobby and that’s the way it’s going to stay,” said Mr MacPherson, who has also won seven races with Frangelico’s half-brother, Lord Kara. Kara Kara, a Scottish Hanover mare, has a big yearling filly by El Patron, missed to Holmes Hanover (1:54.4) last year but is now in foal to the same sire. Frangelico paced the 2600 m from a stand last evening in 3:23.59, being timed over her last 800 m, from the third line on the outer, in 57.15. Held up

rounding the home turn in a tightly-packed field, Frangelico stormed over her closing 400 m in 27.5 s to take the decision by a long head. Master Mood was sent to the front after 400 metres by Kevin Williams and was given every chance. “He felt good and although I thought perhaps he should have won, he missed by a pretty slender

margin,” said Williams. Sir Alba increased his chances of a trip to Sydney with an eye-catching run for third after tangling early. Three wide

with cover over the last 1400 m, Sir Alba, an InterDominion entrant instead of his stablemate Bionic Chance, kept up a determined run to finish third, half a length away.

Rostriever Hanover, which settled back, ran on purposefully for fourth being timed over his last 2000 m in 2:32.4, his last 800 m in 57.3 s and closing 400 m in 27.95. Michele Bromac, three wide in the open over the last lap, battled on well for fifth, ahead of Sossy, which ran on well late after being back on the inner to the home turn.