By Adam Hamilton
YOUNG gun trainer-driver Kima Frenning is sure former Kiwi pacer Buster Brady is headed for the big time, but just not yet.
Frenning and owner Luke Stokie have no regrets about scratching Buster Brady from the Inter Dominion just a day before his powerhouse $50,000 Group 2 Geelong Cup win last night.
“There no doubt a win like that makes you wonder, but we think he’s still on the up and hasn’t quite had the right preparation for an Inter Dominion series. I’m not sure he’d be ready for the four runs in two weeks,” Frenning said.
“We talked a lot about it and feel it’s best to pick out a few other races now and set our sights on the Hunter Cup.
“He can go to the free-for-all at Melton on Inter Dominion final night then a few of the country cups to prepare for the Hunter Cup.
“I’ve got no doubt he’ll measure up to the good ones in time. He’s so tough, as she showed last night, but he’s very fast as well. He’s run 26sec quarters at the trials and done it jogging.”
Buster Brady is the first horse Frenning has trained in her own right and he’s now won two of his three Aussie starts, having blown the start and lost all chance in the other one.
His scratching from the Inter Dominion saves Frenning a potential dilemma had he and her regular drive, Wrappers Delight, clashed in the heats or final.
“I think we’ve done the right thing by Buster and it allows me to concentrate on Wrappers, who just couldn’t possibly be any better going into the series,” Frenning said.
“I say it’s scary how much Wrappers keeps improving. Literally, every time I drive him in a race or in work, he feels better again.
“And I don’t think there’s a better trainer around than ‘Aik’ (David Aiken) and knowing how to get a horse through the four runs of an Inter Dominion as well as he does.”
Im The Boss was Frenning’s breakthrough horse this season, primarily through his Mildura Cup win, but Wrappers Delight has taken it to the next level with his wins in the Group 1 Vicbred 4YO finals as well as Group 2 victories in the Breeders Crown 4YO final and Smoken Up Sprint.
“It was so hard choosing between them for my Inter Dominion drive, but Luke (Stokie, owner of Im The Boss) said I’d be mad not to drive Wrappers. He’s been so good about it,” Frenning said.
Frenning is uncertain whether she will drive Im The Boss through the series when/if he doesn’t clash with Wrappers Delight.
“I’d love to, but I’d certainly understand if Luke wanted to pick a different driver who could stick with the horse all the way through,” she said.
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