In-form Frankly chasing stakes start

7 August 2014

John Bary was left to rue a missed black type opportunity with Frankly at New Plymouth and now he’s looking forward to another chance at Awapuni. The Hastings trainer had expected the Pins mare to be competitive in a recent Listed feature sponsored by WS.

“I was very confident for the Opunake Cup, but she couldn’t get off the ballot,” he said. “I was very bullish that week and we had to regroup. I think she’ll be better over a mile or 2000 metres so we’ll have a look at the Merial Metric Mile with her.”

Bred and raced by WS, Frankly again showed she was ready for the challenge of better company when she scored an impressive win at Hastings this afternoon in the hands of Miranda Dravitzki. “She just bided her time and then came out – that was a 10 out of 10 ride,” Bary said.

Frankly has now fashioned the tidy record of four wins and nine placings from 15 appearances to further a strong family record. Out of the O’Reilly mare O’Really, she is a half-sister to six winners including Keano (Listed Lightning Handicap).

The Corner with Garry Chittick

No Corner last week; this week the Annual Thoroughbred Racing Awards night certainly deserves acknowledgment. It is the second of two nights of measurement of Thoroughbred achievements for the year, with the first focussing on our Breeders’ awards.

9 September 2026

Savabeel’s Group 1 daughter Belle Cheval retired

Belle Cheval, by champion sire Savabeel, enjoyed a stellar career: placing in the NZ 1000 Guineas, winning the Almanzor Trophy and Uncle Remus Stakes, finishing second in The Kiwi, then claiming Group 1 glory in Australia’s Vinery Stud Stakes before retiring to broodmare duties.