Southern raiders dominate and track record falls at Albion Park

By Andrew Adermann

It was another fantastic weekend of harness racing at Albion Park, which saw the running of the Group 2 Changeover South East Oaks, as well as a new track record over the mile set.

Jenden Strike claims the Oaks

Father-and-son team, Chris and Anthony Frisby, claimed the Group 2 South East Oaks with a bold showing behind race favourite Jenden Strike.

The three-year-old filly was caught back and wide early in the call, before making a mid-race move three-wide to settle up one back and one out from the leading pair.

Coming into the straight, driver Anthony made the risky call to look for an inside fence run instead of peeling out wide, and the move paid off for the $3.30 shot who claimed a half-metre victory from the swooping pack.

“To be quite honest, we had no plan during the run; I was talking to Dad pre-race and we had an awkward draw with a lot of good horses up the front so we just thought we’ll drive to it how it unfolds,” Anthony Frisby said.

“As soon as I noticed Grant Dixon (Fond Memories) and John Cremin (Pelosi) go back then I didn’t really want to get back with them and then to bring them in to the race.

“It was a good thrill, she has been a really good mare for us and has come a long way for us with her racing manners.

“Now she is just a beautiful, professional mare and it was a great thrill for the owners, that was probably the best part.”

As has happened nation-wide within the racing industry, the COVID-19 pandemic really threw a spanner into the works for Team Frisby and their plans with Jenden Strike.

“We were pretty worried that we were probably two weeks too short for this race as a result of the virus,” Frisby said.

“We got her in work and then sent her back to the paddock before consulting with the owners and they wanted to take a gamble on that we could get across the border and here we are.”

Local hope Pelosi was an alarming late drifter in the market, settling last and having to come around the entirety of the field heading in to the straight.

An eye-catching sprint home will lose her absolutely no fans, rallying home to finish fifth, only four metres off the winner.

“So proud of Pelosi tonight running a great fifth in the Qld Oaks,” Pelosi’s trainer Anna Woodmansey tweeted post-race.

“Made up a ton of ground from last to be beaten just over four metres and didn’t have much luck.

“This beautiful girl never disappoints me - congratulations to all the place-getters.”

Moving forward, the Frisbys are now setting their sights on this Saturday’s Group 2 South-East Derby, where the filly will take on her male counterparts.

“We are thinking about going to the Derby this week,” Anthony Frisby said.

“It’s hard because we’re not expecting to win it, but we said to the owners that we’re already up here so you may as well give it a crack.

“If you get a nice little barrier, then she’s got every opportunity to win it and as I said, we’re already up here so you may as well target the big races and see what you can pick up.”

Track record falls in Open Pace

It was another southern raider in Cruz that claimed one of the most anticipated events of the night in the Wondais Mate Open Pace.

Cruz, trained by Craig Cross and driven by Queenslander Leonard Cain, made their intentions clear from the start by staving off an early challenge from Colt Thirty One to jump straight to the lead.

From there, Cain was able to expertly control the tempo for the majority of the mile pace.

Coming in to the straight, it looked like Colt Thirty One was going to make a battle of it by drawing near even on the turn, but Cruz had too much left in the tank for the reigning Queensland Horse-of-the-Year.

“The start was crucial; we always thought he could lead but it can always be suspect at a new track where gates move quicker but I knew if he got off the gate like he could then he would lead them,” Cain said.

“Once we led I was always going to hold the front and knew we’d be pretty hard to beat.

“Grant was starting to urge Colt Thirty One on a bit at the last turn and my fella was still on the bit just charging, I hadn’t even let him go an inch yet so at that stage I was pretty confident we had a lot left in the tank.”

Cain’s brilliant drive resulted in a time of 1:50.3 – a new Albion Park track record – one tenth of a second faster than the previous honour set by three-time Australian Harness Horse of the Year Im Themightyquinn in 2014.

“It was great to get that record, obviously Im Themightquinn is a great horse and the record stood so long – for six years I think – so to shave a little bit off that was nice and he deserved it too,” Cain said.

In March last year, it was announced that Cain, a born and bred Queenslander, would make the move to NSW to continue his career.

He arrives back in the Sunshine State – albeit briefly – charged as caretaker for a number of Cross’ team of pacers looking to tackle the revamped winter feature races on offer.

“It’s good to be home to catch up with everyone, especially under the current conditions where we haven’t been able to travel in so long,” Cain said.

“I’m only here for the week, so I head back this Sunday before I head back to the stables in Sydney.

“Matt Coffee has been looking after the horses up here and all credit really goes to him, he’s been doing a great.

“He’s the backbone of it all, he’s the one up here looking after them and I’m just holidaying and driving.”

Queensland rising star Speech Is Silver was disappointing on paper in his Open Class debut, settling towards the rear of the field before showing his trademark turn of foot down the straight to finish a credible fifth. 

Graham’s driving prowess on show

Shane Graham has wasted no time returning to the winners’ circle, with a sublime drive behind Justalittle Torque in the $21,160 Queen Of Hearts Pace.

Graham took the $3 favourite to an early lead crossing from the fourth gate, before happily relinquishing the lead to second-favourite in the market Smooth Showgirl.

“We didn’t really worry too much either way, I was happy to lead if the chance came,” Graham said.

“She hasn’t led too often but when she does she’s won, she is a very good front runner.”

The 37-year-old sat on the leader’s back for the majority of the pace, patiently waiting for an opportunity down the sprint lane to present itself.

When that opportunity came turning into the straight, Graham put the field to the sword, storming through to claim a superb two-metre win.

“Nine times out of ten you’re happy just to wait for the sprint lane to open up, so we just tried to be patient really,” Graham said.

“It all just worked out perfectly for us, as it turned out it felt like a ten out of ten drive but when it doesn’t turn out suddenly it’s only a five.

“Everything fell into place and it all just worked out – if I could do that every week then I’d be happy!”