Another Inter on the cards for Sam

Win lose or draw, Bathurst harness racing trainer Chris Frisby is rarely without his trademark grin, and it’s probably wider than usual at the moment, with another Inter Dominion tilt now on his radar.

Frisby’s stable star Our Uncle Sam (Sportswriter-Rooftop Fairy (Village Jasper) is again hitting his straps and, according to his larger-than-life trainer, he’s “going as well as he ever has”.

“He’s nearly recaptured his very best form and if we can build up enough points, we’re looking toward the Menangle Inter Dominion later this year – providing it it goes on,” Frisby said.

“I reckon he’s not far off being as good as I’ve had him. I’ve had trouble with his feet with corns and other stuff over the last 12 months, but we’re on top of that now.”

Our Uncle Sam, knocked down to Frisby’s wife Judy and his father-in-law Peter Delaney for $3500 at the 2015 Bathurst Gold Crown Yearling Sales, has proven to be the bargain buy that harness racing owners dream of.

After Saturday night’s Albion Park victory, the pacer now has 24 wins and 24 placings for stakemoney of over $681,000.

If Frisby can get the seven-year-old gelding up for a Menangle Inter Dominion tilt, could it be a case of “third time lucky”?

“He finished runner-up to Tiger Tara in the 2018 Inter Final and then the following year we took him across to New Zealand for the series, but he didn’t go any good,” Frisby said.

“His last three runs in the past month have been pleasing. He’s won two and he didn’t really get a crack at them in the other one.”

Frisby and his wife Judy are in Queensland again as part of a well-worn ritual of heading north for the winter sunshine.

“We arrived at the end of May and while we haven’t been doing as well as I would have liked, we’re having a ball. Judy is into showing horses and ponies, although she doesn’t ride them anymore. She’s been showing two former pacers – one is Abercrombie Dexter who won about 45 races.

“She brought a couple up here with us as well as the race horses, but they’ve gone home and we’re actually only doing two horses so there’s not a great deal of pressure.

“We were originally stabled down at Tweed Heads, but had to shift into Queensland because of COVID restrictions. We’re with Mal Charlton at Pimpana which is great as I grew up with Mal who worked as a shearer at one stage.”

Frisby has been escaping the icy mid-year Bathurst weather for over 40 years.

“I think my first trip was in 1978. We’ve met so many lovely people up here in that time. Each year we’ve stayed in Coolangatta or Kirra. Whenever we go to a pub, restaurant or coffee shop, there’ll be someone like an old footballer or a trots punter, who will recognize us,” he said.

Apart from training and racing a big team, the Frisby family also owns two produce shops back in the Bathurst region. Their son well-known driver Anthony is in charge of 15 pacers back home, while he’s also doing a handful of youngsters.

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink