Aiming high in farewell preparation
Francaletta’s final campaign will include Group 1 options at home and away.
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained mare is expected to resume in the Group 2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa on August 18 and then head to Hastings for the Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) a fortnight later.
“We’ll have a crack at the Hawke’s Bay Group 1 and hopefully on to Australia,” owner Lib Petagna’s bloodstock manager Bruce Perry said.
“She could go to Sydney for the Epsom or to Melbourne for the Cantala Stakes.”
A half-sister by High Chaparral to the multiple European stakes winner Asset, Francaletta has a date at Waikato Stud later in the year.
“She’ll be going to Savabeel in the spring,” Perry said.
Francaletta has won six of her 11 starts, including the Group 3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and she finished runner-up in the Group 2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at her next appearance.
She then headed to Sydney where she was a first-up third in the Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) at Randwick before an injury suffered when unplaced in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill ended her campaign.
The five-year-old was struck during the running, which resulted in a deep puncture wound in a leg. Australian plans have also been made for Francaletta’s stablemate Peaceful, who won the Listed Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa earlier this month, and the Stephen Marsh-trained Santa Catarina.
“They will both go over with their respective trainers if they come up well enough,” Perry said.
“We’ll probably look to give them a run here first to make sure they’re on target.”
Peaceful’s main aim will be the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield in October.
Last-start Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1100m) winner Santa Catarina will be set for the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) in September as a lead in to the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m), also at Randwick.