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Mr Frisk had really not shown us a great deal at home. One morning
I worked 3 horses on Peter Cundell’s gallops in Compton, Mr Frisk
being one of them. The late great trainer Jimmy Fitzgerald was
staying; Jimmy watched this piece of work with me and when Mr
Frisk trailed in about 100 yards behind the other 2 he suggested
that I should not make a fool of myself by running him! So with
total despair I informed Mrs Duffey when she arrived over later
that week that I had wasted her money; but we would run him
because the ground would be very fast and he did at least jump for
fun and the opposition might all fall!
So off to Exeter we drove, I was
not looking forward to the afternoon; it was a very hot day and
when Mr Frisk came into the pre parade area he was white with
sweat. Saddling was tricky because he was so wound up that he
tried to lie down in the saddling boxes; eventually I managed to
strap the saddle on. Alan Jones was to ride, as stable jockey Paul
Croucher had broken his shoulder. Alan’s instructions were to jump
off in front and make a bold show especially as he jumped so well,
and when headed try and plug on to finish as close as possible, to
save us any further embarrassment! Well you can imagine my/our
shock when he jumped off in front; sailing over his fences and won
very comfortably indeed. He then proceeded to win his next 6 races
and completed the season unbeaten!
Mr Frisk had to have very fast
ground so he became hard to train as races for a horse of his
quality were not in abundance when Mrs Duffey was over on her
annual trip; she did not like the hurley burley of the big mid
season meetings. Still, he managed some pretty impressive runs; he
won the Amateur Rose Bowl Chase at Ascot 3 years on the trot with
Marcus Armytage on board; he also won the prestigious Anthony
Mildmay and Peter Cazelet Memorial Chase at Sandown with Richard
Dunwoody on board. Mr Frisk was developing into a true top stayer
and a potential Grand National contender.
Mrs Duffey was adamant that her
horse was not to run in the Grand National, which for an American,
was strange as they have a real love for the race, but she was
worried about his safety. So now it was a question of how to
persuade her to let me run him? Mrs Duffey and I regularly had
dinner together while she was over, so on several occasions I
broached the subject, without a huge amount of success; until she
admitted that she would think about it.
The entry stage came round and
entries had to be lodged in by 12am at Weatherbys. I thought of
every angle as to how I could make the entry knowing that she was
totally against the idea; so rather than tell a complete porky I
rang her in America at 3 minutes to 12, I let the phone ring once
and immediately put it down; I then rang Weatherbys and entered Mr
Frisk for the Grand National knowing that I had tried to get hold
of her! Thirty seconds later the phone rang and it was Mrs Duffey
calling from America; she was no fool she knew what I was up to
and had been waiting for me to ring all morning. She was far from
amused by my tactics but I said we had plenty of time to think
about it!
The race day drew closer and I
avoided talking to Mrs Duffey if I could. Richard Dunwoody was
asked to ride him if he ran but he decided to ride Bigsun, knowing
the ground/owner problems. Various other jockeys were also asked
and when all these failed I called Marcus Armytage who was not
only a friend but had ridden him a few times already and won on
him. The ground at Aintree was drying but still no real acceptance
from Mrs Duffey. Finally 4 days before the big race she said that
as the ground was fast she would allow him to run but she was not
going to come over as not only did she not see the point, as he
would not win, but she had also sprained her ankle and could not
put a proper pair of shoes on her swollen foot.
We all arrived at Aintree on
Friday, the day before the big race. It was hot and sunny and the
ground was lightening fast; suddenly that evening I received a
call from Heathrow from Mrs Duffey to say that she had arrived and
was going to take a black cab to Liverpool and could I find
somewhere for her to stay.
History relates what happened next.
Mr Frisk won the Grand National in record time; Mrs Duffey
received the trophy wearing a pair of white trainers because of
her swollen ankle and I drove home with one eye closed! The
celebrations went on till well into the night. Then to cap it all
Mr Frisk went on to win the Whitbread Gold Cup 3 weeks later again
beating Durham Edition. That to me was his greatest race;
everybody told me it was not possible including Marcus who had
ridden him work a few days before the race (but he had not seen
what Jimmy Fitzgerald and I had seen…. Mr Frisk was no good at
home!). Watching him jump the railway fences at Sandown was
spectacular; anybody lucky enough to have been there to see him in
action will never forget it. Not only did Mr Frisk shatter the
Grand National course record but he is the only horse to have won
the Grand National and the Whitbread (now the Betfred) in the same
season. These two records still stand.
A great horse and a great owner, Mrs Duffey. Mr Frisk
retired to do some eventing and show jumping. He passed on in 2002
having had a very special life. Mrs Duffey sadly passed away on
Monday November 5th 2007 shortly before her 97 birthday but we
all have wonderful memories of a great horse and a truly
wonderful owner,
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