OUTSTANDING three-year-old filly Nike Franco will warm up for the Victoria Oaks at Ballarat harness races tonight.
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Nike Franco steps out in the Flying Horse C2 Pace, 1710m – the last event on a nine-race card at Bray Raceway.
This is her first race start since a shock failure in the NSW Oaks on March 2, which ended an unbeaten Australian sequence of six runs.
Trained by Dean Braun at Lara, the New Zealand-bred Nike Franco dominated in three starts at Kilmore and another on Ballarat Pacing Cup night before venturing to New South Wales.
That venture started well with wins in the group 3 Raith Memorial and a NSW Oaks heat.
She was stood down for a trial after that run, which she satisfactorily completed at Melton on April 7.
Anywhere near her best would mean Nike Franco should easily outrace her rivals tonight.
Victoria Oaks heats will be run on Anzac Day, with the group 1 $150,000 final on May 2.
IN English folklore, Robin Hood and Maid Marian were an item.
Will Scarlet was a prominent member of Robin Hood’s band of merry men.
The storyline is a little different in harness racing terms.
Robin Hood and Our Maid Marianne did get together, but in this story Wilscarlett is their son.
Wilscarlett makes his race debut for Smythes Creek trainer Emma Stewart in the Nungaron 3yo Pace, 1710m, tonight.
The colt is by Robin Hood and the first foal of Our Maid Marianne to race.
Robin Hood and Our Maid Marianne were each group 1 winners for Peter Tonkin and when it comes to quality on the racetrack, it is a match made in heaven.
