Glamour South Australian pacer Come On Frank had a huge weekend. Not only did the SA champion win the Italian Cup first up from a spell, but the very next day, Frank was crowned SA Horse of the Year for the 2014/15 season.
It was a daring drive by Darren Billinger, who sent Come On Frank forward just after the start to get outside leader Cheap Tint. From there he controlled the race.
Hot favourite Mister Mundaka – a member of the Andy Gath team – battled on for second with the leader, Cheap Tint, back in third spot.
Trainer Darren Billinger said that he could not believe Come On Franks price.
“ I heard he was $13 on the radio this morning. I just had to go down the stables and check he still had four legs,” Billinger told the packed house at horse of the year awards the next day.
Billinger’s daughter Jodie accepted the Horse of the Year award on the Sunday evening. Her heart-warming speech about how this horse has bonded her family together after the tragedy of her older sister, Kelly, dying in a car accident, never left a dry eye in the house.
Miss Billinger started the speech with some humour, showing the crowd their table number, which read, “Horse of the Year 4 Billinger.”
She claimed, “I just knew Frank was going to win when I saw that.”
Come on Frank – now an 8 year old and by Blissfull Hall – showed he has no signs of slowing down. His win in the Italian Cup excited his Facebook followers. The win sent them into a frenzy of messages, to the harness racing pride of South Australia.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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