Jo out to impress again

HARNESS trainer Marc Butler says promising two-yearold Franco Jo will be competitive in a prelude of the colts and geldings Sweepstakes in Hobart on Sunday night, but he is concerned about the gelding’s lack of race fitness.

Franco Jo has had one start for an impressive win in Launceston in late July and while he has drawn fairly in gate four on the front row in the first of two heats over 1609m, there is plenty of speed around him.

“The horse is going well but he probably needs this run to have him in good shape for the final in a fortnight,” Butler said.

“I’ve always had a good opinion of the horse.

“And he is an absolute gentleman around the stables, so much so that everyone thinks he is an older horse the way he meanders around the place and just goes about his business lime a seasoned professional.”

Franco Jo will be driven by Rohan Hillier, who gave Butler a glowing report after winning on debut.

“Rohan said the horse was easy to drive and he was very impressed with his debut effort and he was particularly taken with the horse’s turn of foot when asked for an effort,” he said.

Last-start winner Rocking Nitro looms as a genuine winning chance, for Paul Hill, along with Stormy Sanz, from the Kent Rattray stable and the John Castles-trained Agouda Ruler has won four of his past five starts but has drawn the outside of the front row in the field of seven.

Rattray has last-start winner Impulsive George engaged in the second prelude and he looms as an eachway chance from the inside of the second-row draw, while all eyes will be on first-starter Ninefortwentythree, who is owned by Jamie Cockshutt and Barry Cooper, who have had a lot of success with juveniles over the years.

The first six placegetters in each of the preludes will progress to the final, to be held in a fortnight.

There were insufficient acceptances to run two preludes in the Sweepstakes fillies’ division.

The sole prelude boasts a field of 12.

The main chances are drawn on the second row with Written In Silk the inform runner having won at her most recent outing in Hobart, taking out the Blue Bonnet feature over 1609m late last month.

The Heath Woods-trained Stepping Stones was second in the Blue Bonnet and that followed a solid win at the same venue in a 30-49-trated race over 1609m.

The Kent Rattray-trained Indianna Sanz (9) and Resurgent Rebel (8) loom as the next best winning chances in an open race.

The first race on the nineevent card is scheduled to start at 5.15 with the last at 9.20pm.