Ray: That’s more like the Frankie Major we expected - he nailed them in two strides

It took six months longer than expected but Frankie Major showed he had finally “arrived” when he demolished his rivals at Cambridge on Thursday night.

And now Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green is looking to plot a path to the lucrative Sires’ Stakes series with the speedy Art Major two-year-old.

“That’s the best run he’s put in,” Green said of Frankie Major who never looked like being beaten once he cleared the three deep pocket on the markers turning for home.

“He nailed them in two strides. That’s how we thought he’d be originally - we thought he was one of our best - but he went off track a bit.”

Green and owners John and Lynne Street had good reason to rate the horse highly when, on debut in January, he was only nosed out by the highly touted Seve.

But it took him another six starts to find the winner’s circle at Cambridge in May.

“Maybe he was just immature. He’s definitely got stronger and he’s really coming to the party now.”

Easy as you like for Frankie Major and Zachary Butcher. PHOTO: Chanelle Lawson.Frankie Major’s turn of foot was so effective on Thursday night, driver Zachary Butcher was able to ease up on the throttle late, clocking a swift 2:42.2 with a clear two and a half length margin.

“It’s hard to find suitable races anywhere but I’ll make a long range plan and maybe have a run at the Sires’ Stakes. There are plenty of horses around not as good as him.”

The win took Frankie Major’s record to two wins and a second from nine starts for earnings of $16,164.

Green was also pleased with the effort of stablemate Next To Me who overcame a difficult inside second row draw to be best of the chasers.

“He ended up on Frankie’s back and had a bit of luck getting a suck through.”

The run was all the more notable as driver Monika Ranger was unable to activate the removeable deafeners when the cord became entangled.

Lincoln Farms went within a half head of the perfect night when its only other starter, Ideal Kingdom, lost out in a nail-biting three-way finish earlier in the programme.

Sent out a hot favourite on the strength of his excellent second to Gandalf at Auckland the previous week, the little colt had to make a long run from the back of the field down the back straight.

And considering he was three wide with no cover from the 800, he did exceptionally well to still be closing well at the line, the photo finish camera giving the prize to pacemaker Hellofasportstar, with Loutenant another head away in third.

“Zac said he was in front one stride past the post,” Green said.

“All three horses went super and continued our good run in recent weeks.”

Virus doing the rounds again

Green had to scratch Whiz On Bye from the meeting when snot started pouring out his nose the previous day.

“He’s got a virus, which seems to be one of the vagaries of training nowadays. There’s quite a bit of it at Pukekohe.

“Two or three of ours have it, but only one who’s racing. Simply Sam has a bit of it but he’s having two weeks off so it doesn’t matter.”

A number of Cambridge trainers are also reporting horses with snotty noses again, after it did the rounds of northern stables earlier in the year.

Stewards probing ther poor performance of the well backed Ticking Over in the final race on Thursday night found the horse had a nasal discharge.

The second favourite weakened from the trail before the home turn, hampering Ideal Zen and Ally Mae.