Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Lightly raced but richly talented five-year-old Franco Motu is an outside hope of contesting the $1,250,000 Nullarbor slot race on April 17.
That’s the latest news from the powerful Gary Hall Snr stable after Gary Hall Jnr had driven the New Zealand-bred pacer to an impressive victory in the Trotsynd Shares Available Handicap, a stand over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Halls combined to win the Nullarbor in April last year with the brilliant Mister Smartee. But that wonderful pacer is on the sidelines, recovering from a tendon injury.
“We have a slot but haven’t chosen a horse yet,” said Hall Jnr. “We are running out of time, and there is a slim possibility that Franco Motu will run in the Nullarbor. We have been tossing up whether he would be good enough.”
Franco Motu was the $2.50 favourite from the 40m mark in Friday night’s race, run in wet and muddy conditions. He settled in seventh position before Hall sent him forward to gain the favourable one-out, one-back position, with Eclipse Line ($5.50) setting the pace from Chase Me ($7) in the breeze and My Silver Spoon ($4.20) enjoying the sit behind the pacemaker.
Franco Motu surged to the front with about 200m to travel and he careered away to win by five lengths from My Silver Spoon after the final three 400m sections were run in 28.7sec., 28.8sec. and 28.8sec.
“It is hard to win these races from back marks, and Franco Motu went super,” said Hall.
Franco Motu, a gelding by Always B Miki, was making his first appearance for 20 weeks, and he is sure to derive great benefit from his first-up outing. An easy winner at his two runs in New Zealand, he has had ten starts in WA for six wins and a third placing for career earnings of $130,053.
He gave an example of his class when he won the Group 2 Four-Year-Old Classic last October, beating Alta Tribute and Waverider and rating 1.55.6 over 2130m.
Franco Motu’s three-year-old full-brother Proposition Joe also won at his only two starts in New Zealand, and his first three starts in WA have produced a win and two seconds.
Lightly raced but richly talented five-year-old Franco Motu is an outside hope of contesting the $1,250,000 Nullarbor slot race on April 17.
That’s the latest news from the powerful Gary Hall Snr stable after Gary Hall Jnr had driven the New Zealand-bred pacer to an impressive victory in the Trotsynd Shares Available Handicap, a stand over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Halls combined to win the Nullarbor in April last year with the brilliant Mister Smartee. But that wonderful pacer is on the sidelines, recovering from a tendon injury.
“We have a slot but haven’t chosen a horse yet,” said Hall Jnr. “We are running out of time, and there is a slim possibility that Franco Motu will run in the Nullarbor. We have been tossing up whether he would be good enough.”
Franco Motu was the $2.50 favourite from the 40m mark in Friday night’s race, run in wet and muddy conditions. He settled in seventh position before Hall sent him forward to gain the favourable one-out, one-back position, with Eclipse Line ($5.50) setting the pace from Chase Me ($7) in the breeze and My Silver Spoon ($4.20) enjoying the sit behind the pacemaker.
Franco Motu surged to the front with about 200m to travel and he careered away to win by five lengths from My Silver Spoon after the final three 400m sections were run in 28.7sec., 28.8sec. and 28.8sec.
“It is hard to win these races from back marks, and Franco Motu went super,” said Hall.
Franco Motu, a gelding by Always B Miki, was making his first appearance for 20 weeks, and he is sure to derive great benefit from his first-up outing. An easy winner at his two runs in New Zealand, he has had ten starts in WA for six wins and a third placing for career earnings of $130,053.
He gave an example of his class when he won the Group 2 Four-Year-Old Classic last October, beating Alta Tribute and Waverider and rating 1.55.6 over 2130m.
Franco Motu’s three-year-old full-brother Proposition Joe also won at his only two starts in New Zealand, and his first three starts in WA have produced a win and two seconds.