Impossible becomes possible for Franco Josiah at Oamaru

By Jonny Turner 

Franco Josiah did the unthinkable when winning at Oamaru on Wednesday.

The trotter hadn’t been in his best form, but he surged back into the winner’s circle when scoring off a 30m handicap over the 2000m sprint trip for trainer Ben Waldron and driver John Morrison.

With that big mark to overcome, Waldron admitted he didn’t have high hopes leading into Franco Josiah’s assignment.

“I said to Johnny Morrison before he went out there it is impossible really, from that mark,” Waldron said. 

“He was coming back from Cup Week, we had rushed to get there and it’s not really the place to be trying to get into form.”

“I thought he would need this run and we would take it from there.”

“But he made a great beginning which was obviously a big help.”

Punters had lost faith in Franco Josiah leading into his Oamaru upset at 40-1 odds.

However his trainer had not.

“He has been a grand old horse for his owners.”

“He is a funny horse, he is 10 years old but he doesn’t act like it, he has still got that freshness about him.”

“When he is on his game he can run time and he can do a bit of damage in good fields.”

“But he does lack a bit of consistency.”

Franco Josiah’s victory has Waldron now studying upcoming race programmes.

The trotter won’t be heading to the upcoming West Coast grass track carnival.

However, he is a chance of heading south again for the Central Otago summer circuit.

Franco Josiah’s win came just four days after the Waldron stable produced another upset victory.

Penny Weight toughed out an impressive victory at Orari at $21 odds.

“She had to be good because she was hung out there three-wide for a fair while around a track that you really don’t want to be three-wide on,” Waldron said.

“That win put her in the Harness 5000.”

“The way she went at Orari, you wouldn’t think she would disgrace herself.”

“It is a great opportunity for a horse like her.”

Penny Weight is raced by a group of owners headed by Central Otago owner-breeder, Rusty Nevill.

After his win as an owner at Orari, Nevill enjoyed success as a breeder at Wingatui on Sunday with Forbury Park Pacing Cup winner, Rock Or Bust.