Brilliance and tenacity contribute to outstanding win

Brilliance and tenacity carried Franco Indie (NZ) (Always B Miki) to an outstanding harness racing win on New Zealand Cup Day in the $150,000 Group One Woodlands Sires’ Stakes Final (1980m), a race dominated by NZB Standardbred graduates.

The Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen trained star showed grit and determination when sitting parked throughout the first age-group feature of the harness racing season to lead home a line-up of 2020 National Yearling Sale purchases, including his stablemate and runner-up Franco Mac (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight).

Incredibly, 11 of the 12 starters in the Group One Sires Stakes Final passed through NZB Standardbred’s sale ring and they filled the first 11 placings in the feature event.

They were headed by Franco Indie, a $35,000 purchase from Spreydon Lodge at the 2020 Christchurch National Yearling Sale, secured by stallion giants Nevele R Stud and Alabar.

Nevele R Stud and Alabar collaborate to stand Always B Miki who registered his first Group One siring victory in New Zealand after Franco Indie’s powerful win.

The race could not have produced a more perfect result for the two studs.

“Always B Miki has really hit the ground running, he is doing great things in America, too. He was the co-fastest horse of all-time and he’s leaving Group One winners in Australasia now,” said Ged Mooar, General Manager of Nevele R Stud.
“And now Franco Indie looks like he has no bottom to him – he can sprint and he can stay.”

Franco Indie and Franco Mac were both bred by Spreydon Lodge, the sister operation of Nevele R Stud.

It was by complete coincidence that Nevele R Stud co-purchased Franco Indie, despite Mooar overseeing both operations.

The general manager charged Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen with finding a quality Always B Miki colt and they again showed their brilliant ability to select a yearling by recommending Franco Indie.

“We asked Mark and Natalie to go to the Sale and buy a couple of colts by Always B Miki,” Mooar said.

“This fellow just happened to be in the Spreydon Lodge draft.

“That was great, so Nevele R Stud retained a share in him, Alabar took a share in him and the rest is shared among a lot of people, including a lot of people from the Chase Auckland Syndicate.

“It is great to share this victory with a lot of people,” he said.

Franco Mac chased Franco Indie hard in the home straight, finishing just a half-head from a horse he’s been alongside all of his life.

“It is a huge thrill, I can’t believe it, it doesn’t happen very often that they were both in the same yearling sale, we bred them and the mares and it is just a great thrill to get a Group One quinella on a very special day,” Mooar said.

Franco Mac was a $60,000 purchase by the All Stars Stable from Spreydon Lodge at the 2020 Christchurch National Yearling Sale.

Republican Party (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) was next across the line in third place.

Trainers Cran and Chrissie Dalgety purchased the colt for $210,000 from the Price Bloodstock draft at the 2020 National Yearling Sales at Christchurch.

NZB Standardbred