ONE of Ted Medhurst’s most promising pups Hey Franklin delivered arguably a career best performance at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart last night (Thursday) in a heat of the Easter Purse for juvenile performers.
Hey Franklin won the LGRC Breeder’s Classic final in Launceston last Monday night defeating his high profiled kennel mate Prescribe by many lengths and he was backing up three days later for his Easter Purse assignment.
He surprisingly began slowly from box eight and had trouble staying in touch with the leader Wedgie Ono heading to the top turn.
Wedgie Ono had two lengths to spare tuning for home but Hey Franklin sidled up to him 100 metres out and looked set to cruise to the lead.
But Wedgie Ono fought back and it wasn’t until right on the line that Medhurst’s pup lunged to find the line to score by a head from Wedgie Ono with Miss Informed over four lengths away third.
The winner clocked a time of 26.31 which was the best of the three heat winners.
“It didn’t help his cause any by coming out (of the boxes) the way he did because he is usually a faultless beginner.”
“But in the end it was a strong win and I can’t complain because we can’t ask any more of what he’s done,” he said.
It was Hey Franklin’s third win from only four starts which suggests the son of Go Wild Teddy-Carlita Bale has above average ability.
His next start will be in this week’s final over 461 metres.
Winklea Zipper (Cosmic Rumble-Winklee Weeper) will be the testing material for Hey Franklin in the final given the way he went about winning his Easter Purse heat.
The Patricia Howard-trained pup has just started to find form and he was strong when it was needed in this latest assignment.
Winklee Zipper began well from box three but he was unable to cross first-starter Krogan Express (2) and they matched motors to the top turn with the favourite It Is Written (4) finding more trouble than the early explorers to settle last.
Winklee Zipper found the lead but ran wide turning for home which allowed Danger Duck (6) to scoot through underneath and take the lead in the home straight.
Danger Duck was being hailed the winner half-way up the home straight but Winklee Zipper dig deep when it counted and went on to defeat Danger Duck by almost two lengths with Louis Smith a neck away third.
Winklee Zipper stopped the clock at 26.39 which was not far off the time recorded by hey Franklin.
The remaining heat was taken out by Flashing Shadow that found enough on the line to score by a half-length from bags of Hope.
The Russell Watts-trained dog won on debut at his home track at Devonport but had lost his way in his only other outings (2) in Hobart when last and near last in juvenile races over 461 metres.
But he began well this time and he was very competitive over the concluding stages.
The Easter Purse heats and final had to be run a week earlier than the Easter Plate and Easter Cup this year owning to Easter falling in the first week of April this year.