Francis Of Assisi fine after minor travel knock

Brad Waters - Tuesday October 3

Godolphin galloper Francis Of Assisi has shrugged off a minor travelling issue before stepping out at Werribee on Tuesday morning.

Francis Of Assisi thrashing his opposition at Flemington last spring. Photo: Darryl Sherer

Last year's Bendigo Cup and VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner is one of four Charlie Appleby-trained horses to arrive in Melbourne on the weekend along with Sandown Cup winner Qewy, Folkswood and Kidmenever.

Godolphin travelling foreman Chris Connett told RSN927 that Francis Of Assisi "gave himself a little superficial knock" while travelling but had quickly recovered.

"He gave himself a little superficial knock on the plane on the way down but he went out this morning and had a little trot around and he's all systems go," Connett said.

"He'll canter around tomorrow and we are very happy with him."

Connett said Appleby planned to run Francis Of Assisi first-up in the Caulfield Cup on October 21 and suggested Australian punters ignore his only 2017 run in which he finished more than 10 lengths from the winner in Group III company at Haydock on August 12.

"That run at Haydock wasn't obviously the greatest run but he has come on leaps and bounds since that run and he seems to thrive down here in Australia," Connett said.

Sportsbet has Francis Of Assisi as a $23 chance in Caulfield while Cornett said Appleby planned for Qewy to have a crack at back-to-back Geelong Cups first-up later this month.

Qewy has had two starts in 2017 for a fourth during the Royal Ascot carnival and a well-beaten effort at Group I level in the Goodwood Cup in August.

The Herbert Power Stakes is the likely first-up target for Kidmenever, whose last win came in the 2016 Swiss Derby while Folkswood, a son of Australian stallion Exceed And Excel will probably make his Australian debut in the Caulfield Stakes on Saturday week.

"He's a very interesting horse," Connett said of Folkswood.

"He ran a lifetime best out in Dubai when he just got beat in a Group I by Decorated Knight, who has come out and won two Group Is in Europe this year so the form really stacks up.

"We're on target to run in the Caulfield Stakes and Charlie and make a decision from there."

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kia Ora Homebred Another New 2YO SW for I Am Invincible
It’s been a good day at the office for Kia Ora Stud, who share in the ownership of two stakes-winning juvenile Snitzel colts on Saturday in Blitzburg and Return to Conquer, but the real icing on the cake came with their homebred I Am Invincible filly Inkaruna, who made a winning debut in the $200,000 Group III MRC Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Sandown.
Will to Win
He’s nothing flash to look at and cost just $7,000 as an unbroken three year-old in a Magic Millions Online Sale, but the Marc Conners trained Shamus Award gelding Willaidow has the most important thing of all and that’s the will to win and he showed it at Rosehill on Saturday when taking out the $250,000 Group III ATC Southern Cross Stakes (1200m).
Kiwi Bred Bunker Hut Another Inglis Digital Success
After seven placings in his last eight starts, Bunker Hut broke through with a dominant return to winning form in Saturday’s A$160,000 Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1350m) at Rosehill.
Satono Aladdin Making an Impact
Satono Aladdin (Jpn) was a newsmaker at Karaka in the past week with yearlings selling for up to $525,00 and he also had the top priced lot on both days of Karaka Book 2 and he made his presence felt at Rosehill on Saturday with a quality winner.
Family Search Finds Willaidow Relation
Breednet’s Family Search feature is very good for sniffing out close relations to stakes-winners in upcoming sales and one of the most interesting stakes-winners from Saturday was Shamus Award gelding Willaidow and being from a well known female family he was always going to be a good candidate for a search.
First Winner for First Season Prince Fawaz
Oaklands Stud’s first season stallion Prince Fawaz is on the board with a two year-old winner that promises to keep getting better as the races get longer.
Sires With Winners - Saturday February 1
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Local Victory in New Plymouth G3 Feature
Local runner Herbert claimed the biggest win of his career to date when he raced clear in the final stages of the feature event at New Plymouth on Saturday, the Gr.3 Denis Wheeler Earthmoving Taranaki Cup (1800m).
Hinekaha All Class in Oaks Prelude
Highly touted three-year-old Hinekaha justified some heavy support from punters as she showed her enormous promise in the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth on Saturday.
1st Stakes Win for Shooting To Win Bulletproof Mare
Progressive Shooting To Win mare She’s Bulletproof scored her first stakes win with a dominant effort in the Group III Lamaro's Hotel Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.