MARIANNA BROMAC NEW WINNER FOR BIG-WINNING FAMILY

It took a little longer than expected for Marianna Bromac, but she resumed her four-year-old racing with a maiden win at Manawatu on Tuesday, December 10.

Marianna Bromac (4m Art Major-Maravu Haley, by Falcon Seelster-Hayley Franco), showed early promise North Canterbury trainer, Brendon "Benny" Hill and partner Noel Bowden, finishing a first-up fifth to Kayla Marie and Dracarys at Addington at two.

This month she entered the team of successful West Melton-based Palmerston North strike rate trainer, Michael House, for the Manawatu meeting.

Having her 10th career start in the hands of premiership-leading reinsman, Blair Orange, she was driven postively from the outside of the front row, heading straight to the top into the first turn.

Orange rated her to a nicety, holding late-closing stablemate Panda Girl by 1 and 1/4 lengths in a 2:01.8 rate for the mobile 2000m, quickening over her last 800m in 58.8s.

She will try for a quick double from the inside of the second row in a penalty-free Australasian Young Drivers Championship Heat on the second night of the Manawatu meeting tonight, in the hands of Hamilton junior, Benjamin Butcher.

Messrs Hill and Bowden purchased Marianna Bromac for $30,000 at the 2017 NZ Yearling Sales.

Bromac Lodge managing director Lisa Fabri has confirmed both Marianna Bromac's dam, Maravu Haley, and grand-dam Hayley Franco, have now both been passed on to new homes.

The family is full of black type performers.

Marianna Bromac's dam Maravu Haley (1:59.2) is a three-win half-sister to other sub 2:00 performers in Hank Bromac (1:58.6, five wins & $40,410) and Honey Maravu (1:58.4, two wins).

Grand-dam Haley Franco is a Holmes Hanover sister to two stand-out pacers in Franco Hat Trick (1:52, USA), winner of 30 races world-wide for $659,210; and Franco Heir (1:56.4, 19 wins & $392,272).

Franco Hat Trick, who initially won seven in NZ, won an Interdominion Heat, was the runner-up to Franco Enforce in the 1996 NZ Sires Stakes 3YO Final at Addington for Clevedon trainer Barry Purdon and Queensland owner Greg Brodie.

In Australia, he won the 1997 NSW Pacers Derby and the 1998 NSW Chariots Of Fire, and went on to win 17 times in North America.

Franco Heir, the 2001 NZ 3YO Pacer of the Year, won the 2000 NZ Sires Stakes 3YO Final at Addington for trainer John Hay and ran second in a Great Northern Derby.

In Australia, Franco Heir won 2001 NSW Pacers Derby for trainer Jayne Davies, and was runner-up in a West Australian Derby. He also won an Interdominion Heat win as an older horse.

Another brother to Franco Hat Trick and Franco Heir in Franco Hoover (1:59.6) was also smart, winning nine of 19 starts including the Gr. 2 1995 NSW Sapling Stakes, while a half-sister in Have A Go Franco (by OK Bye) has left six individual winners of 58 races including the top NSW pacers Our Sixpence (1:51.3, 26 wins & ,977), & Threepence (1:57.3, 17 wins & ,306).

The latter, Threepence, is now the dam of four to race for four in 2:00 and three in 1:55, including Perfect Penny (1:58.8) Bebrave (1:54.3, 17 wins & ,010), Ideal Warrior (1:52.9, 12 wins & ,165) and Major Currency (1:54.1, three wins).

Our Sixpence died after leaving only one foal, Golddigger Girl (1:55.3), who had a win and a placing from just two starts.

The family has left a host of other quality winners another generation back, including Franco Highlight (1:55.9, 21 wins) and Helen Franco, the dam of Happy Franco (1:57.9, six wins).

Happy Franco has bred on becoming the grand-dam of Hollywood Bromac (1:54.3, 19 wins & A156,500), Cool Hampton Bromac (1:56.9, 21 wins & ,440) and Hoagy Bromac (1:55.9, 11 wins & ,095), and great grand-dam of Harlequin Bromac (1:55.5, 13 wins & A61,905)