Francis Of Assisi wins Bendigo Cup

Francis Of Assisi has given Godolphin’s English trainer Charlie Appleby another of Victoria’s big country Cups at Bendigo.

The international visitor’s win in Wednesday’s $300,000 Bendigo Cup (2400m) came a week after stablemate Qewy claimed the Geelong Cup, and a week and a half after Scottish ran second in the $3 million Caulfield Cup.

“We quite like these Cups at the moment. Let’s hope we win the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday,” Appleby’s assistant James Ferguson said.

Francis Of Assisi will not be heading to the Melbourne Cup but Godolphin is set to be well represented, with Geelong Cup winner Qewy virtually assured a start.

South Australian Derby winner Howard Be Thy Name failed in the Bendigo Cup and trainer Darren Weir indicated after the race he would not be lining up in the Cup, elevating Qewy to 23rd in the ballot order for the 24-horse field.

Francis Of Assisi, ridden by Kerrin McEvoy who also rode Qewy at Geelong and Scottish in the Caulfield Cup, raced on speed and kicked clear to win by three lengths over Second Bullet with Our Century a long neck away third.

“He’s obviously travelled out here nicely and the English team are having a good run of it,” McEvoy said.

“The horse got in a nice rhythm,. I stepped it up from the three pole (600m) and I was expecting Our Century to be coming hard but I had too much of a break,” McEvpy said.

“I was quite surprised when I saw the big screen, how far I was in front.”

While Francis Of Assisi isn’t in the Melbourne Cup, Ferguson said there were a few options for him to race again in Melbourne this spring.