Chris right at home up north

Jovial Bathurst harness racing trainer Chris Frisby has wasted no time in hitting form at his “home away from home”.

Frisby is back in Queensland on a working holiday with a team of horses — something he’s been doing for over 40 years.

“I think the first time I travelled up was in 1978 and we were on holidays,” Frisby recalled.

“I caught up with the Turnbulls who were based at Tweed Heads. They’d race at ‘The Tweed’ as well as in Queensland during the winter and then go back home,” he said.

Frisby arrived north a fortnight ago and has registered five victories since arriving.

Bay gelding Aphorism (Well Said-Mes Ti Tsepi (In The Pocket) kicked things off in the best possible way with an impressive win at Albion Park.

“I’ve got eight horses with me. There’s a few that go along okay, while some of the others are in low grades that people gave me to bring up,” he said.

“I’m stabled at the Tweed Heads Pony Club. John Boserio, who’s another Bathurst trainer, has also been heading north for the winter sunshine for years and he’s staying there too. So there will definitely be plenty of fun.”

Frisby scored with Feelgood Express (Mr Feelgood-Art Express (Art Major) at Redcliffe last Sunday week and then returned to the same track four days later to get the chocolates with Remember Eve (For A Reason-Jalaf Pride (Stonebridge Scooter).

An hour’s drive up the Pacific Highway to Albion Park the following afternoon resulted in a winning double.

Top freelance driver Shane Graham got home with Frankies Tooth (Auckland Reactor-Serendipitous (Artsplace)—his third for the Frisby camp this campaign—while Chloe Butler teamed with Rosarito (Pet Rock-Sweet Alabama (Western Terror) for a win.

Boserio, who packed his bags in January, has had three wins and several placings with Rocknroll Times (Rock N Roll Heaven-Joyous Times (Jennas Beach Boy), while Mistery Road (Mr Feelgood-Ashuras Gold (Lombo Pocket Watch) has had one win. Two of his other horses in The Grogmother and The Grogfather have been placed.

For the first times in ages, Frisby is in Queensland without his grand old warrior Our Uncle Sam, a winner of 24 races and over $715,000 in stakes.

The pacer, who took Team Frisby all over Australasia chasing the grand circuit, was retired a few months ago.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink