MITCHELL FRY, MADDY WISHART JOIN THE LISTED RACE WINNER'S CLUB AS FLASH AAH UPSETS THE ODDS

By Graham Potter | Monday, March 15, 2021

To say that trainer Mitchell Fry was excited about the win of Flash Aah in the Listed, Australian Turf Club Trophy at the Gold Coast on Saturday would be an understatement.

And why not … because Fry had to overcome a number of possible negative factors, both in the lead-up to the race and the race itself, before Flash Aah was able to claim victory.

Not least was the concern over Flash Aah’s antics in his previous start where, shortly after the jump, he bucked sending Maddy Wishart high into the air. Wishart did slam back down in the saddle but her momentum carried her off the side of the horse and she crashed to the ground leaving Fla,sh Aah’s race run before it had even gone 150m.

So, step one: Stewards advised that Flash Aah would have to trial satisfactorily before his next start. That box was ticked.

Step 2: Would Maddy Wishart be happy to stay on the horse. That box was ticked.

Step 3: Would Fry be able to convince a reluctant Managing Owner David Silver to let him take Flash Aah to the Gold Coast for the Listed race on a heavy track. That box was ticked.

Step 4: Would they avoid a reoccurrence of Flash Aah’s otherwise behaviour at the jump. That box was ticked.

Step 5: Would Flash Aah rise to the occasion enough to be able to upset the odds in the race itself. He started as the rank outsider in the eight-horse field at $31, more than double the price of the next least fancied runner … and he was still three lengths adrift of the leader at the 200m mark.

Boy, did he tick that box!

No wonder Fry was beside himself with delight.

“It’s fantastic … my first Listed winner,” said Fry. “I was very confident the other day but unfortunately we couldn’t get there. There were a few little issues … I think the saddle slipped and he bucked.

‘The Managing Owner, David Silver … I had to twist his arm to come here today. I said I think we are ready this prep. Last preparation I didn’t want to take him to town, but I reckoned we could take him now … and we did.

“I’ve been very lucky with him. He has always performed for me so hopefully he can put me on the map a bit. I keep saying he is the horse that can do it for me.”

It was also the first Listed race win for Maddy Wishart and it came in her first ride in a Listed race.

“I guess the first question was, after what happened last time, whether I wanted to ride him again,” said Wishart. “Apparently, he has got a couple of tricks in the barriers, but he was fine that day in the barriers … it was after the jump that things happened.

“That was my first ride on him, and I said, hopefully that was only going to happen once and I’m glad I stuck with him.

“I did say that I would not be hitting him out of the gates this time.

“He did try sharp left when we were going around to the start, but I was ready for him. He had to get resaddled, but, once he jumped, he was beautiful. I was trying to make sure he didn’t buck so I was quiet on him. I just let him be happy where he was. He settled beautifully and just let it all unfold in front of him.

“The other two rides I had on the day before Flash Aah, they were just getting stuck in the ground but, coming around the turn, he was actually travelling enormous.

“He carried the 54kg well … I couldn’t claim in the race … and when I knew how well we were travelling through the ground coming to the turn I thought, here we go, we might place … but, once the gap opened up in the straight, he just found again, and he just flew home.”

Flash Aah, quite incredibly, has been in five different stables in his career.

The son of Lucas Cranach went from Billy Healey to Jeffrey Caught to Kelly Schweida to Gregory Hickman … although he never actually raced for Healey, Schweida and Hickman … and then found his way in Mitchell Fry’s yard which clearly has been the turning point in his career.

He won three out of his first four starts for Fry and the lightly raced five-year-old gelding has now graduated to Listed winner company … in the process taking his race record to an impressive five wins from only ten starts.

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