By Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
It’s the 1992 Inter Dominion Pacing Grand Final at Moonee Valley. It’s March 7, and it’s the first time in seven years that Melbourne has hosted the great race.
Drawn wide at six, Vic Frost, readies himself for the start of the 2,840m mobile.
The crowd is expecting him to cross and lead with the tough Land Grant entire. The legendary Sleepy Hollow horseman doesn’t let the 4-to-1 second favourite punters down.
Going down the back Westburn Grant took control from Franco Tiger and Brian Gath. From that point it was game over. The Frost-trained and driven 6-year-old held on to win by a metre from Franco Tiger (Brian Gath), Blossom Lady (Anthony Butt), Defoe (Peter Ryder) and Christopher Vance (Tony Herlihy – MNZM)
After five previous Inter Dominion grand finals, the most experienced reinsman in the $400,000 Group One feature, had out-driven his 10 opponents.
Queensland Harness Racing Hall-of-Famer, Mr Vic Frost still remembers his only Inter Dominion Grand Final win like it was yesterday.
“That was a phenomenal performance to win like he did with four screws in his hind pastern. He won that at his own pace, but I remember it was a lot more furious in the Miracle Mile when Thorate and Brian Hancock were taking us on for the lead at the first corner at Harold Park.
“I’ll never forget it. We were fair screaming around that first bend to the point of broadsiding each other. We were timed at 26 seconds for that first quarter. That time was amazing because we were competing on an old track. In fact, 26 second quarters are fast today.
“I’d hate to think what Westburn Grant would have achieved on the faster and newer tracks today. I’ll never forget him, and of course I’ll be thinking of that night in Moonee Valley when the Inter Dominion Final is on TV on Saturday (December 16).
“In some ways Leap To Fame reminds me a bit like him. ‘Grant’ never got luck in his races either and had to tough it out. If ‘Big Larry’ gets any luck in this year’s Final (drawn 6), then I think he’s the horse to beat,” Mr Frost said.
“It will bring back many fond memories. ‘Spot’s’ last race was actually in the 1993 Inter Dominion Grand Final in Brisbane, where he finished sixth. He was a true champion, who still kept winning big races after recovering from serious injuries,” added the Australian harness racing legend, who won five Group Ones in Victoria and Western Australia with Westburn Grant (1:55.6 – 38 wins -$2.074m).
Mr Frost’s asthma prevents him from travelling to the track most days. In fact, he said his parents were told the disease would see him not live past 21.
“I’ve struggled with it all my life, and thanks to advances in technology I’ve managed to keep on top of the illness. I’ve known many asthma sufferers who have died sadly, so I was lucky I got good care.
“I still struggle with it a bit, but I love the horses and I love wife (Gail Geeson) and they both inspire me to keep succeeding. I still love that winning feeling,” Mr Frost said.
The age of 82 has not slowed him down. In fact, recent racing results show that Frost and Geeson are on fire winning three of their last five starts, and five of their last 10 starts.
His latest victories came at Redcliffe Paceway on Thursday (December 7) via Docta Feelgood and Scotch En Ice in races eight and nine at Redcliffe Paceway. They were driven by Paige Bevan and Angus Garrard respectivel. It was Mr Frost’s seventh and eighth winners of the season, and 1,040th ($7.3m) since records were taken in 1980-1981.
“Gail absolutely loves the horses and treats them like family, whereas I like them too but want to make money from them. Gail has been phenomenal and so has Ella (Lyons), who works one day a week for us. I’ve told her to get her hair dressing apprenticeship and I’ll do all I can to get her license after that,” Mr Frost said..
“She loves the industry and likes horses, so I want to encourage her because she’s only young and we need young new faces in this game,” harness racing’s ‘gentleman’ added.
He said he put the turnaround in form to a healthy stable.
“We copped a lot of bad luck through illnesses and injuries over the last six to eight months. A virus went through the stable which knocked us back quite a bit. But we have stuck by them all and thankfully are now through the other side.
“The recent run of form has been encouraging, but we are not getting too carried away. Docta Feelgood and Scotch En Ice would be the best of our team, but we have some promising ones coming through,” said Mr Frost who works a team of 10 in Sleepy Hollow which is in Tweed (Northern New South Wales).
In fact, the Geeson trained Candykane will line up in race five (7.43pm) at Redcliffe Paceway on Wednesday (December 13) from the tough six draw. The 4-year-old Hurrikane Kingcole mare will be having her second start since July after running fifth at ‘The Triangle’ last Wednesday.
Geeson will be looking for 107th training success since the 1933-1994. She celebrated her 100th training success in May last year.
Mr Frost will also line up Vodka En Ice at the same meeting on Wednesday. The 4-year-old Mr Feelgood gelding has drawn ideally at two. His last two starts have resulted in two thirds – both from gate seven.
Mr Frosts top 10 stake earners over six decades have been:
Westburn Grant (34 wins and $1.9m); America’s Pastime (six wins $423,449); Glenns Thunder (29 wins and $239,733); Area Code 18 wins and $237,665); Sailors Corner (16 wins and $194,521); Misty Maiden ( four wins and $172,123); Chandon (five wins and $156,513); Fire And Ice (16 wins and $149,385); True Delight (19 wins and $148,129); Ex Are Six (23 wins and $121,165).
Footnote: Westburn Grant passed away in June 2020 at Sleepy Hollow, just a couple of months shy of his 35th birthday.
“We lost our best mate that day. ‘Spot’ as we affectionately called him, was a special horse. He was part of the family. There were tears. He also won two Miracle Miles in 1989 and 1990. Sadly, he had a tumor on his neck and went downhill pretty quick.
“It was really sad because he had been with me since he was born. I raced his Mum, Westburn Vue. She was a (1973) Lumber Dream mare, who won 10 races,” Frost said.
Westburn Grant winning the 1992 Inter Dominion Grand Final at Moonee Valley (photo and race video below). Copy and paste the link here:
https://youtu.be/WR537NJt04U?si=8axK1UuQsB-RhiSA
