Marek has hero following

Lincoln pacer Franco Marek (A Rocknroll Dance) has a bit of a following, especially in the deep south where his distinct harness racing colours carry a lot of significant.

The horse races in the colours of Southland Bowel Cancer advocate the late Blair Vining and they have a large BV on the front and back.

“The tote goes silly when he races. I don’t believe it’s big bettors. Every time he races people like Missy (Vining) and the girls put a few dollars on each way. We went down south to Pack The Park for Blair. At the evening after (the rugby match) people that don’t have a lot to do with racing were coming up to me and saying they follow the horse,” trainer Greg Manson told Nigel Armstrong from Harness Racing Unhinged.

Owned by Manson, Steven Boyd and Andre Kotzikas the six year old has had just twenty starts and yesterday’s win was his seventh.

“You couldn’t get him round the track without him rearing up, so he’s come a long way.”

In yesterday’s $30,000 Rangiora Classic driver John Morrison settled the gelding at the tail of the field. At the 600 he set Franco Marek alight, and he dashed around the field. When Double Time popped out in front of him Franco Marek got a nice cart into the race. He was forced wide but came with the genuine stayers running down the outside to beat Buckskin by half a head.

“They slowed up down the back, but I didn’t want to go too early. I thought if I go at the half (800) I might get beaten late. It worked out good in the end. He’s got raw speed. He’s pretty fast and he’s getting better,” Morrison said.

Manson says Franco Marek is currently in a good space.

“We’ve waited some time to get him right and at the moment he’s really right. He’s been to the Coast, and they always say when they go to the Coast they come back as a man. Johnny says he’s getting calmer each day, not using any energy anymore and he’s travelling off the bit until the business end of the race,” he said.

With the Winton Cup coming up in April, wouldn’t it be great if Manson ventured south with Franco Marek for the $20,000 feature at the Central Southland Raceway.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink