Microshare syndicator The Frac Club hit gold straight away with their promising filly Zormella, and their gold colours are set to appear on the track over winter through two recent purchases.
Zormella put the syndicator on the map when she replaced stablemate Dealt With in the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie in March, and while she beat just three runners home, she bounced back to win her next start and then secured black-type when runner-up in the Gr.3 Championship Stakes (2100m).
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained filly is enjoying a break over winter, and keen to keep their momentum going, The Frac Club’s Melissa Robinson recently bought into winter hopefuls Jesko and Fourty Eight out of Shaun and Hazel Fannin’s Awapuni barn.
“It is exciting to have Melissa and the team involved with the stable,” Shaun Fannin said.
“They have only got a few horses and nothing really racing at the moment. They have got a lot of owners involved in the club and they wanted to have something racing through the winter, and they thought these two looked like horses that might be in for a good winter.”
Exciting jumper Jesko will be the first of the pair to carry the club’s new colours when he contests the Presidential Homes Manawatu Steeplechase (4000m) at Trentham on Saturday.
The seven-year-old gelding is undefeated over the bigger fences, winning his debut outing last month, and he has been kept up to the mark when winning his 1600m trial at Foxton last week.
“He won well at Wanganui in his first steeplechase and it’s a month between runs, so he had a tick over trial to keep his fitness up to scratch,” Fannin said.
“He was the first horse that I bought years ago, so he’s my pet and I have a pretty good bond with him.”
Stablemate Fourty Eight will also carry The Frac Club’s colours when he lines-up in the Power Farming Manawatu 2140 at Awapuni’s synthetic meeting on Sunday.
He was victorious in a highweight at Hawera last month before finishing last in an open hurdle at Te Rapa a fortnight ago, and Sunday’s test will gauge whether he is ready to return to jumping.
“Fourty Eight was a bit flat the other day at Waikato, he had a bit of a problem with one of his hooves, so we have been on top of that,” Fannin said.
“Before heading back to a hurdle race, we thought we need to make sure he is right when he comes under a bit of pressure.
“He has got a good record on the synthetic track, and it is on our backdoor step, so we will get a good line on him on Sunday before we head to a hurdle race.”
Stablemate Poppy’s Girl will also head to their home meeting on Sunday where she will contest the Richard Simpson Contracting 1200.
“Poppy’s Girl ran really well first-up (fourth over 1000m), she had some good sectionals late and she was fresh-up into that without a jumpout or trial, so she would have taken great benefit out of that,” Fannin said.
“She has drawn a bit wide on Sunday, but if she was within shot of them turning for home I am sure she will run really well.”
A day prior, Jesko will be joined at Trentham by stablemate Opawa Scarlett, who will contest the Happy Hire 1600.
“She won her first start at Trentham 12 months ago,” Fannin said. “She ran well first-up, she hit the line strongly, and she had a trial at Foxton last week and trialled well.
“Her fitness is up to the mark and I am sure she will like a heavy track too. On a light weight (52.5kg), I think she will be hitting the line strongly.”
Fannin is also looking forward to reuniting with champion jumper West Coast for the first time this year when he rides him in the Manawatu ITM Manawatu Hurdles (2500m) for trainer Mark Oulaghan.
“It’s just in a hurdle race and it is probably more of a conditioning run for an upcoming steeplechase, but it will be nice to get back on him and see how he is travelling heading into the big steeplechases ahead,” he said.
Further north at Ellerslie, the stable will be represented by the Graham Stewart-owned pair of Linara and The Precursor, who will contest the Thanks For Your Service Ross Coles 1600 and Horizon By SkyCity 2100 respectively. “Both horses don’t like it too wet,” Fannin said. “The best going at this time of year is Ellerslie, so we have opted to head up there, which will be better going than Trentham on Saturday.”