Nike Franco too good in Allerage Pace

The John King Jr trained Nike Franco was a class above her rivals in the $105,000 Allerage Mares Pace at The Red Mile, Lexington on October 8, storming home in the driving rain to defeat a field comprised of North America's best open class mares.

The multiple Australian Group 1 winner bided her time through the first half before tracking into the race on the back of the reigning US Aged Pacing Mare of the Year Lady Shadow. Rounding the home turn Nike Franco cleared cover and stormed home down the centre of the track to score by two lengths from Milton Stakes winner Blue Moon Stride in a time of 1:51.4.

The win was the McArdle mare's sixth of the season and her 28th overall, taking her earnings to just over $710,000.

Bred by Spreydon Lodge Limited, Nike Franco is out of the two-time NZ Aged Pacing Mare of the Year Nearea Franco (Badlands Hanover - No Paba by Abercrombie), whose numerous New Zealand feature race wins included the Group 1 Queen Of Hearts, the 4YO Harness Jewels Diamond and the Kaikoura Cup.