Beaten by almost 16 lengths at his most recent start in the Group III Chairman's Handicap, Savabeel gelding Kaiser Franz left punters
Sent off a $61 chance under Robbie Fradd, Kaiser Franz made his run closest to fence to run down Zambezi Warrior (Pentire) by half a length with the favourite The Chairman (High Chaparral) a short-half-head back in third.
It was a first
"I copped a bit of flak from the owners for running him and I noticed he was big odds before the jump but I had a really sneaky feeling that he'd love this track," Heathcote told AAP.
"He's run second last, gone at the 600 (metres)
"Today was his big test and maybe it's pie in the sky to run him in the Brisbane Cup but the extra 200 metres next time will suit him.
"I knew coming into this meeting that horses that have raced well on this track in the past would be those that would handle the going best.
"He's beaten some good horses today and it was a lovely ride from Robbie Fradd."
A $65,000 purchase by Paul Willetts out of the Trelawney Stud draft at the 2012 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, Kaiser Franz is a brother to Group III winner and Group I placed Soriano and stakes-placed Affairoftheheart (Fusaichi Pegasus) out of the Listed Wagga Gold Cup winner Call Me Lily (Just A Dancer) who died in 2014.
Kaiser Franz becomes the 64th stakes winner for Waikato Stud's Savabeel who will stand at a fee of $100,000 this spring.
