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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Fairyhouse-specialist Where's Frankie obliges again

Sat 27th Jan 2024, 15:02

Where's Frankie, white face, stays onWhere's Frankie, white face, stays on
© Photo Healy Racing

Where's Frankie found for pressure to justify 5/2 favouritism in the 3m2f handicap chase on Fairyhouse's card.

He was there to be tackled after two out as a host of horses held an interest, but he dug deep for Danny Gilligan to increase his advantage at the final fence. He got it all wrong, though, and Baldur's Gate looked threatening in second, however, the leader stayed on well on the run-in to tough it out by three and a-half lengths from the 9/2 runner-up. Eddie's Pride was a neck back in third at 18/1.

Trainer Karl Thornton said: “He loves it around here. The last day over hurdles he pulled something early on and we've done a bit of physio and acupuncture on him since.

“We schooled him yesterday and I said he should be right enough.

“He loves those staying trips and we may as well just keep coming back here with him.

“The 0-140 here on Easter Monday is probably tailormade for him. It's a couple of weeks earlier than usual, so he might get softer ground there and it might be safe enough.”

Where's Frankie was also a winning favourite in this race two years ago.

All four of his victories have come in Fairyhouse - two over fences and a pair over hurdles.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.