Racing: Franco Jamar a threat to Smiling Shard

Smiling Shard. Photo / NZ Herald

Franco Jamar has emerged as the big New Zealand winner from semifinal weekend at the Australasian Breeders Crown.

The Canterbury pacer could even start favourite in Sunday's A$188,000 3-year-old male pacing final in Victoria after easily winning his semifinal on Friday night then securing the ace at last night's barrier draw.

That puts him in the box seat to control the final, especially with fellow New Zealand semifinal winner Smiling Shard drawn on his back at one on the second line.

While Smiling Shard was stunning winning the faster of the two semifinals, his chances in the final on Sunday could now depend on the tactics employed by Franco Jamar's driver, Craig Thornley.

Franco Jamar has developed the gate speed to be a factor in the early rush for positions on Sunday but has been at his best when driven for one run.

That was the case on Friday night as he raced away Devil Dodger after sitting on his back.

While Devil Dodger clearly raced below his best, the win confirmed Franco Jamar as an open-class horse in the making and he will have an army of supporters on Sunday.

Devil Dodger will have to start from barrier five while his stablemate Courage To Rule is first emergency after a disappointing seventh in the semifinal won by Smiling Shard.

Franco Jamar couldn't have got a better draw, but fellow Kiwi 3-year-old stars De Lovely and Miami H were not so well served last night.

De Lovely will start from the outside of the front line in the 3-year-old filly pace but could still start as short as $1.20 after a breathtaking semifinal win on Friday.

She might have been done no favours in the draws but the Australian official can't be accused of any bias against the great Kiwi filly as they were extremely lenient in waiting for her driver David Butcher, who was delayed on his way to Melton on Friday night.

Butcher arrived only as the fillies were heading on to the track but was still able to jump in the sulky for one of the easiest wins of his driving career.

Miami H got the worst possible draw at one on the second line in the 3-year-old trot final and while he is clearly the most talented trotter in the race he now faces a huge task.

But Cambridge trotter Paramount Geegee will start a very short-priced favourite in the juvenile trot after drawing barrier three, especially coming off the back of his 28-metre winning Australian debut last Tuesday.

Meanwhile, star Kiwi juvenile pacer Our Major Mark, who was surprisingly beaten after setting a hot pace over the last 1200m on Friday night, will start from barrier two in his final.