Girl is growing up fast

A Beautiful Girl could go from Gr III-winning autumn sprinter to Gr I-winning middle distance winner in the spring if West Auckland trainer Leanne Franklin gets her way.

A beaten favourite in the Gr I Railway Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year's Day at her previous start, A Beautiful Girl produced a polish performance to defeat the fast-finishing previous start Telegraph Handicap winner Vonusti by a short head in yesterday's Gr III $100,000 Darley Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie.

It was a well-timed ride from regular jockey Leith Innes, as he hit the front inside the last 100m to defy Kiloton before holding off the late run from Vonusti to register her seventh win in 19 starts.

It also ranked as a career best win for Franklin, who will now turn out the six-year-old Black Minnaloushe mare with a Hastings spring triple crown campaign in mind.

Asked whether the $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) was in consideration, Franklin said: ''Yeah, I think so. I've never thought she was a sprinter but by sprinting her it's enabled us to keep her light. Her temperament will improve when she goes over more ground.''
Franklin has wanted to keep the weight off A Beautiful Girl for soundness reasons.

She suffered a tendon injury earlier in her career which saw her sidelined for 12 months and Franklin said she was ''quite a difficult mare'' to boot.

''She's had a myriad of soundness issues right through. We've just given her time to allow her to strengthen up and mature.''

- © Fairfax NZ News