Olivia Frisby and McKayler Barnes following their big Menangle moment last weekend. Photo by Club Menangle
Bathurst teenager Olivia Frisby captured a highlight in her fledgling driving career at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Saturday night when combining with the McKayler Barnes-trained Kingston Shannon to claim her first metropolitan win.
Sent out as a $61 roughie, Kingston Shannon came with a well-timed run from a mid-field trailling position to overpower his rivals in the closing stages to score by a head in a blanket finish that saw just seven metres separating first to seventh placings.
Not only was the win a first for Frisby, but it gave Barnes her first win as a trainer at headquarters for which she derived plenty of satisfaction from.
Of course, Barnes has had several wins at Menangle as a driver including in the Indigenous Drivers’ Series on a few occasions.
Emotions ran high when Frisby returned to scale with Kingston Shannon with a huge contingency of family and friends trackside to greet the winning duo and offer their congratulations.
“I have to admit there were a few tears of joy when I got back to the presentation area where McKayler was waiting for me,” said Frisby.
“Mckayler and I had agreed that I give the horse as cosy a run as possible in the hope that he might be able to sneak a place.
“But when I made my run and asked him for an effort, he felt so strong and powered home to beat them.”
Since taking over the training of Kingston Shannon midway through 2021, Barnes has had huge success, winning nine races with the gelding, and had only previously given him a few runs at Menangle where he had no luck.
Observing Barnes with her gelding at the races it is clear that she loves and treats him so well which no doubt has contributed to the horse’s success under her care.
Barnes races in the silks that belonged to her late father Kyle Barns, a highly successful reinsman who passed away in 2017 due to illness, making last Saturday night’s win even more special.
Bathurst will conduct an eight-race program tonight but neither Frisby nor Barnes will be in action at their home track.
Seven of the eight races are very open with just one odds-on favourite, The Real Rocketman contesting race seven.
The former Kiwi is having his first Australian start for Amanda Turnbull.
