Danehill Dancer's Francis Of Assisi Snares Another Cup For Godolphin

Mark Smith - Wednesday October 26

There was a touch of déjà vu when Charlie Appleby and Kerrin McEvoy teamed up to win Wednesday's $300,000 Group III Jayco Bendigo Cup with Godolphin's import Francis Of Assisi.

The same connections teamed up to win the recent Geelong Cup with Qewy (IRE) who, like Francis Of Assisi (IRE), had his previous win over the jumps.

In fact the two met at their previous starts before embarking to Australia.

Qewy (IRE) was second and Francis Of Assisi (IRE) sixth in a valuable handicap at Goodwood.

Settled on speed by McEvoy, Francis Of Assisi was set to an all-out drive some 600 metres from home and was never really threatened to run out a 3-length winner over the Danny O'Brien-trained favourite Second Bullet (Encosta de Lago) with another import Our Century (IRE) (Montjeu) back in third.

"They (Godolphin) should bring about 20 and come out in July time. They're having a really good run," McEvoy said.

"He got into a nice rhythm again and stepped it up from the three-pole (600m). I was expecting the Lloyd (Williams) horse (Our Century) to be coming hard but I had too much of a break.

"I was quite surprised when I saw the big screen how far I was in front."

Though he carries the Godolphin blue, Francis Of Assisi (IRE) comes from one of Coolomore's best families. He began his career under the guidance of Aidan O'Brien.

The gelding is a son of the former shuttler Danehill Dancer (photo Mark Smith) out of the Kingmambo mare Queen Cleopatra.

A sister to 4-time Group 1 winner Henrythenavigator, Queen Cleopatra also had a share of ability being a Listed winner and placing in the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas and Group 1 French Oaks.

Also, the dam of Francis Of Assisi's stakes-winning brother Look At Me, Queen Cleopatra is out of the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Sequoyah (Sadler's Wells), a sister to the Group Fillies Mile winner Listen.

Sequoyah's dam Brigid (Irish River) is a sister to Or Vision the dam of the Group 1 winners Dolphin Street, Insight and Saffron Waldon.

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