Previously trained by Gai Waterhouse, the Greg and Donna Kolivos owned four year-old son of Wanted turned in a tenacious effort to win by a neck over 1580 metres on a heavy track.
It was the second win for Francesco, who has always promised a great deal and was thought good enough to contest the Group I MRC Blue Diamond at two.
A half-brother to stakes-winner Hoss Amor, Francesco was bred and sold by Three Bridges and is the fourth winner from four foals to race from With Love, whose current yearling colt by Pierro made $220,000 for Three Bridges Thoroughbreds at Magic Millions this year.
His sire Wanted is on the Sun Stud roster for Victoria this spring and has had a big fee reduction dropping from $16,500 to $6,600.