The 4yr-old, owned by Russell Nieper, of Dunedin, and trained by Jim Curtin, has won seven of his 12 starts and $221,348. He also won the group one New Zealand Messenger and took a winning sequence to eight. He has taken his overall record to 13 wins, three seconds and a third from 18 starts for $254,638. Franco Emirate was unbeaten in six starts at 3.
"We are really looking forward to next season," Nieper said.
The New Zealand Cup in November is the aim for Franco Emirate.
Franco Emirate overcame starting from outside the front line (8) on Saturday to win in 1.53.8, the fastest time on the nine mile-race programme. The cool conditions were against fast times.
Franco Emirate was restrained to third last, improved three-wide with cover to mid-field and unwound strongly to win by a length and a-quarter, the last 800m in 54.7 and 400 in 26.2.
• Trainer John Dickie is viewing Australian races with his Harness Jewels trotting winners Flying Isa (2yr-old) and Paramount Geegee (3yr-old).
"Paramount Geegee will go to a heat of the Breeders' Crown in Auckland and he may contest the Victoria Trotting Derby. Flying Isa will have a let-up before the Breeders' Crown," Dickie said.
Robbie Holmes has been a big part in the success of both horses. He drove them both on Saturday and had them based at his Leithfield Beach stable.
The pair are now on the way back to Cambridge.
The Breeders' Crown heat for Paramount Geegee is on June 24 and the Victoria Derby on July 17.
• Lancome and Secret Potion, who finished first and third in the 4yr-old mare division on Saturday for Coes Ford owner Brian West, will now go to stud.
Lancome has won 13 races and rated 1.54.9 for 1700m (mobile).
Secret Potion won the Great Northern Oaks and Sires' Stakes Final when driven by Nicole Molander.
West is sending a team of horses to Australia to be trained by Molander at Menangle. They include Collectable, Shezanelsu, Borgia and Flashbang.
"We are hoping they can get fast mile times for breeding," West said.
He decided to retain fillies from his breeding operation five years ago.
"I was losing money selling the fillies and decided on a change of direction," he said.
• Carabella only had a neck to spare in her win against the 3yr-old fillies but driver Ricky May said she won easily.
"She had been knocking off after she got to the front and I held her up as long as possible. She won a lot more easily than it looked," May said.
Trainer Brendon Hill is in favour of giving Carabella a spell. He will discuss the option with owner Robert Famularo.
• Auckland owners Ross Johnson and Janene Cole are glad they accepted the advice of Templeton trainer Tim Trathen not to sell Cowgirls N Indians, who won the division for 2yr-old pacing fillies.
They sent Cowgirls N Indians to Trathen to prepare for the Ready To Run sale in October.
"Tim told us we should not sell her as she had so much ability," Johnson said.
The filly subsequently joined the Patumahoe stable of Ian Small.
The daughter of Real Desire and Barn Dance Betty, bred by the owners, has won three races and finished second three times in eight starts for $111,590.
Small said he would discuss a Breeders' Crown start with the owners.
• Gold Ace and Fly Like an Eagle are Australia-bound after their wins.
Trainer Steven Reid said the Queensland Derby on July 9 and the Breeders' Crown were on the programme of Gold Ace. He led on Saturday and held on grimly by a nose from Hands Christian with a head to Terror To Love.
Fly Like An Eagle went to the front at the 700m and dashed away to win by three and a-quarter lengths from stablemate Alberto Contador, with a neck to another member of the Mark Purdon and Grant Payne stable, Western Cullen.
It was the sixth win in seven starts for Fly Like An Eagle, owned by Phil and Margaret Creighton of East Taieri, Phil and Glenys Kennard, of Christchurch, Gavin Douglas, of Ashburton, and Neil Pilcher, of Christchurch.
Douglas is the immediate past-president of the Ashburton Trotting Club.
The Kennards have also won Harness Jewels races with Fiery Falcon, Highview Tommy and Major Mark.
Mr Nickel, a stablemate of Fly Like An Eagle, won at Melton the previous night in a 1.58.5 rate for 1720m (mobile). He was driven by Greg Sugars. Fly Like An Eagle and Mr Nickel are in the Vic-bred series and Breeders' Crown.
• Vulcan was impressive when he won the division for 4yr-old trotters. He covered extra ground after starting from outside the front line, joined the leader at the 600m and held on by a neck in 1.57.3. He had won the 3yr-old division last year for brothers Tim (trainer) and Anthony Butt (driver).
Vulcan is raced by their mother Jenny Butt and Don McKenzie, of Rangiora, who bred the son of Earl and Epona.
• Joshua Dickie was fined $300 for excessive use of the whip on Elsa (race 1).
Frank Cooney advised stewards that Lets Elope may have choked down after the 2yr-old finished last. A veterinary inspection did not disclose anything abnormal.
Pure Power, who ran fifth, was showing signs of a muscular problem after the race.
• Betting on the Harness Jewels was down on the Ashburton meeting two years ago.
Off-corse turnover declined $111,054 to $1,400,128. On-course turnover was down $109,432 to $442,658.
"We thought the turnovers would be down a bit with the earhquake and the economy not that rosy," Trevor Robertson, the secretary of the Ashburton club, said.
