He's far closer to the end of his career than the start but French Giggle proved he's still got it when winning at Narromine Turf Club on Thursday.
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Trained at Yass by Allan McRae, French Giggle is a lightly-raced 11-year-old.
Thursday marked just his 21st career start but he showed no signs of age when sprinting to a convincing win in the Alan Lloyd Memorial Benchmark 58 Handicap (800m).
The short distance is French Giggle's speciality, with each of his four career wins coming in 800m events.
On Thursday, McRae's hope always looked the winner. With Jake Pracey-Holmes in the saddle, French Giggle ($8.50) made the most of his gate one draw by rattling along the rails and into the lead early.
He turned the bend and quickly fond himself in complete control.
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French Giggle kicked clear and ran on to score by a comfortable two-and-a-quarter lengths from the Stephen Jones-trained Gold Codes ($14), who had run home well to edge out Angie Emm ($4.20 favourite).
The win was French Giggle's first since back-to-back victories early last year but he has only raced nine times since then.
Thursday's meeting was also a good one for Dubbo trainer Kody Nestor.
Nestor only took the two hopes to the Narromine track but both returned home winners.
Princess Factor ($4.80) got the job done first, fighting on well in the straight to hold off challengers and win the Rushweld Engineering Maiden Plate (800m).
It was the four-year-old mare's first win in just her second start, having run fifth on debut at Dubbo in June.
That win was followed up by stablemate Toulon Factor making it back-to-back victories in the KB Concrete Class 1 and Maiden Plate (1600m).
Having scored a first win at Warren earlier this month, the four-year-old grey saluted again in relatively comfortable circumstances on Thursday.
After sitting outside the Garry Lunn-trained Urus ($3.80) for much of the trip, apprentice Liam Blanch and Toulon Factor took control at the top of the straight and went on to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
