Night time racing at Bunbury has returned and what a success it was for the opening night, with crowds enjoying eight races, family entertainment and of course, the pintsized racers in the pony trots.
The much-anticipated return of Franco Ecuador NZ in race six saw the short priced $1.10 favourite win with ease, with a 19.2m margin over his rivals.
Trained by K N Prentice and driven by Mitch Miller, the seven-year-old started from barrier seven over the 2569m trip, and after restraining from the arm in the early stages, Miller made his move three wide, enduring more work than he would have assumed, but eventually receiving the lead and going on to claim top prize in a mile rate of 2:00:4.
Franco Ecuador, who was last seen back in February 2022 when he sustained a suspensory injury in the run at Gloucester Park spent 18 months in the hills of Bridgetown at John Alcocks property but by all reports from Kim Prentice, the horse has come out of he run well and has pulled up a treat from Saturdays race.
"He came back looking amazing and the leg was amazing." Prentice said.
At this stage Prentice will take the horse week by week, but being a level 9 horse now, will most likely head to Gloucester Park Friday week, on February 16.
"If he stands up, he will win us a fair bit."
A very lightly raced seven-year-old, the New Zealand bred gelding is a half-brother to Franco Edward NZ who won upwards of $220,000 in just 18 starts, winning the 2YO Golden Slipper and 2YO Pearl Classic in 2018, beating the likes of top performers Shockwave and Bletchley Park just to name a few.
Franco Ecuador NZ has had just the 10 starts now, winning six and placing in two, and with all things faring well for the gelding, should have a very nice campaign this time in.
Ryan Bell and Kyle Symington joined forces in the first with the Walmsley owned three-year-old Bonne Amour breaking through for her maiden win at just her second start.
"She's an honest progressive filly who will go through the grades eventually,
"I think she will make a city grade mare in the future once she learns the caper." Bell said.
They may not be local, but Woodlands Stud bred the first two winners at Bunbury, with Louis Rouge NZ getting the win in race two for local trainer Bob Mellsop. Driven by Deni Roberts, the pair made it two from two after recently making the move to WA from New Zealand in late 2023.
Gary Hall Jnr drove Colorado Banner NZ to victory in race three for trainer Nathan Turvey, with the $1.22 favourite biding his time behind the leader, making full use of the sprint lane in the concluding stages to win by 1.7m.
With a race-to-race double, Hall Jnr reined the locally trained Haywire to victory in race four, with the five-year-old winning on return for trainer Sarah Wall.
Another win for the locals, Aiden De Campo trained and reined the final two winners on the program, with Major Corrida and Raptor Raider successful in races seven and eight with both horses owned by Vincent Vinciullo,
