Top pacer to become the most “spoilt horse in Australia”

Harness racing’s well-performed Bathurst pacer Our Uncle Sam has officially been retired.

Trainer Chris Frisby made the announcement during the Gold Crown carnival and while he was tinged with sadness, he was also proud of what his warhorse had achieved.

Chris’ son Anthony partnered Our Uncle Sam in most of his 121 career starts, with the gelding retiring with 24 wins to his credit and $715,609 in stakes.

Purchased out of the Gold Crown Yearling Sales for a meagre $3,000, the son of Sportswriter won at Group 1 level and took Team Frisby all over Australasia chasing the Grand circuit.

“He is a once in a lifetime horse,” said Chris Frisby.

“We got to travel to many tracks to race him, meeting some wonderful people along the way and we contested some of the biggest races in the Southern Hemisphere.”

Our Uncle Sam will probably be best remembered for two races that he did not win.

The first being his brave second behind Tiger Tara in the 2018 Inter Dominion final, when he started as one of the rank outsiders.

The other was his gutsy second behind King Of Swing in the 2020 A. G. Hunter Cup.

“I would agree that those two races gave us the biggest thrills even though he was beaten but his first Group 1 success in the Bohemia Crystal at Tabcorp Park Menangle would be on par with them,” said Chris.

“Another of his race wins that I will always cherish was in the Shirley Turnbull Memorial.

“Bathurst locals aspire to win that race, as well as the Gold Crown.”

Sam will now be prepared by Chris’ wife Judy to participate in the show ring and, according to Chris, there will be no more spoilt horse in Australia.

Frisby has just one runner at tonight’s Bathurst meeting, well-performed mare Aunty Bella in Race 5, the TAB App Pace.

Drawn ideally in gate one, Aunty Bella has had just 29 career starts, winning five and being placed 11 times and according to Chris, the daughter of Western Terror has a great chance of winning.

“Bella has drawn perfectly in gate one,” he said.

“Hopefully Anthony will be able to find the lead from there, but it will not be the end of the world if she can’t as she should still get an economical run.

“Hopefully she can get back into the winners’ circle.”

By Michael Dumesny for HRNSW