Jockey has bigger fish to fry in comeback

By Jordan Gerrans

North Queensland jockey Ivo Fry’s unexpected comeback has a much deeper meaning than a veteran just having another throw at the stumps at race riding.

At 47 years of age, Ivo has only really ridden in races for around 18 months of the last 15 or so years.

There was never doubting Ivo’s ability, he won black-type events as a youngster as well as competing in Group 2 races and riding at most city tracks in Australia.

When his children came along, Ivo decided to step back from race riding to begin working in the mining industry to ensure his family has a greater earning capacity.

Now with his daughter Sasha nearing 15 years of age and keen on following in her father's footsteps, Ivo wants to be there to guide her every step of the way.

Ivo jumps in the saddle on race day on Saturday at Home Hill for the first time since early 2017.

“Sasha wants to be an apprentice jockey and I want to have my hand back in the game as such so when she starts riding, I am there with her,” Ivo said.

“I want to give her a hand, teach her and all that sort of stuff. I want to be able to go through race replays together and all those bits and pieces.

“I want to help her along as much as I can. She is chomping at the bit to ride and it feels like she has a bit of nous about her.

“She is super keen, she loves racing and is always interested in going to the races.”

High school student Sasha is in the process of applying for a stable hand licence which the Fry family are hopeful will lead to riding trackwork in the coming years.

The father-and-daughter team already go through race replays together and will be on course on Thursday of this week at Cluden Park as the Townsville club host a provincial meeting.

The returning hoop has been booked to partner Margot Barbie for trainer Georgie Holt on Saturday at Home Hill in his first ride of the comeback.

While Ivo has not race ridden since early 2017, he has continued to ride trackwork and the occasional jump-out and trial.

“I have always loved racing, riding and the racing aspect of it,” he said.

He works a week-on, week-off mining roster at Moranbah in Central Queensland and will aid the Holt stable when he is in Townsville.

The Holt team – led by trainer Georgie and heavyweight hoop Aidan – have been key in Ivo’s racing comeback.

Georgie described Ivo as a ‘really lovely bloke’ and is keen to give him opportunities.

The veteran hoop is not looking to come back riding on a full-time basis, he will just pick up engagements here or there when he is available.

“It is for Sasha but also, I am getting a bit long in the tooth and if I do not do this now, it will probably never do it again,” Ivo said.

“If I left this comeback for another four or five years, then it would be hard for me to do it.

“It helps me when I am riding trackwork for Georgie and Aidan – they have beautiful horses to ride and they train lots and lots of winners.

“If it wasn’t for the Holts then I don’t think I would have looked to make a comeback. I enjoy riding their horses so it was a bit of a bug for me to get back riding, as well.”

Like Ivo, Aidan is also in the midst of a riding return.

Also a former city-level hoop, Aidan took his first rides in over a year at Pentland last month and has a number of bookings for Home Hill on Saturday.

Aidan has long battled with his weight and will get down to 60kg this week.

Ivo will ride at 61kg on Saturday and believes he can get as low as 58kg in the coming weeks.

As a young hoop, Ivo claimed the Listed Queen’s Plate at Ascot aboard Krystal Storm in 1999.

He had his maiden race ride back in 1996 in Perth.

He also helped launch the Brisbane career of Steven O’Dea as he moved south alongside the trainer from Townsville in the early days.

Ivo has won city races in Brisbane, Perth and Tasmania and has almost 300 victories on his resume according to Racing And Sports’ statistics.

“I have had a good career without a glittering one,” he said.

“I have always held my own. For the last 10-15 years I haven’t ridden a lot as it was only up until I was 30 years of age that I rode pretty much full-time.

“I always seem to go back to racing in some way, shape or form – it is one of those games that you can always go back to it.”