Olsen has a primary witness for city opportunity

By Jordan Gerrans

Local galloper Primary Witness has taken all before him on the sand at Gympie this year and he will now aim to transfer his strong form to the grass of Doomben in December.

Prepared by Gympie hobby trainer Adrian Olsen, Primary Witness has claimed the two major events on the calendar at the Gympie Turf Club in recent months.

The son of Star Witness snuck away from his rivals to win the 2025 Gympie Cup on Saturday afternoon by more than four lengths.

Just two starts back, the six-year-old galloper claimed the feature Nolan Muster Cup at Gympie, which was run on a TAB program.

Olsen has only been training since early 2023 so to win two of the major events at his local track in the space of a few months is a substantial achievement.

The race day for the Nolan Muster Cup is one of the most attended meetings at Gympie while Saturday’s Cup offers prestige and history.

On top of the $22,000 purse from Saturday’s local Cup, the race also doubled as a Country Cups Challenge qualifier for the rich decider later this year at Doomben.

“I couldn’t be happier – if you are a local, you want the Gympie Cup,” Olsen said.

“The family came up from everywhere to be there on Saturday.

“It was a good day out. It is a big thrill for all of us now to have a runner on George Moore Stakes day later this year.”

Apprentice hoop Kayla Johnston was in the saddle for both victories and Olsen was full of praise for the up-and-coming rider. 

Primary Witness arrived at Olsen’s stable from Caloundra trainer Billy Healey as a maiden galloper in early 2024.

He has quickly racked up eight victories with five of those coming on his home deck at Gympie on the sand.

Primary Witness has scored the other three victories at Bundaberg, which is also a sand track.

The 52-year-old Olsen believes that his consistent gelding appreciates the kick-back he receives in races on the sand, whereas many gallopers resent it. 

“He just relishes the sand,” the hobby trainer said.

“He ran a good second on the Polytrack down at the Sunshine Coast, but he just seems to struggle on a good grass surface.

“What I have been told from riders is that the more kick-back he gets, the harder he goes so he is that kind of animal.

“There is a lot that cannot cop the kick-back but he certainly does.

“It is a bit unusual and he is a quirky boy, but we will take it.”

Olsen was only starting his training tenure when he purchased Primary Witness.

He was keen to buy the galloper after he ran well on soft grass surfaces for Healey and thought it may translate well to local sand racing in his area.

The theory has worked out wonders as he ticked past $100,000 in career stakes following Saturday's win.

The $200,000 Country Cups Challenge Final over 1600 metres will be held at Doomben, on Saturday, December 6, during the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival.

The hobby trainer says it is still sinking in that he will have a runner in the city and declared he was ‘blown away’ by the opportunity ahead for his small stable.

Olsen manages two in his stable while also working a full-time job. 

Primary Witness had five weeks between runs prior to his effort in the Gympie Cup and Olsen plans to follow a similar fresh path into the CCC decider in December. 

“In my short career so far, that is the best day I have had at the races,” Olsen said of Saturday’s Cup result.

“His dominance and the way he went about it, it just blows me away.

“He is a good horse and you feel lucky with these sorts of animals because you never know when you purchase them.

“He couldn’t have done any better for me this horse.”

Primary Witness was beaten by a touch over three lengths on the grass at Ipswich in early August which Olsen believes shows that he will appreciate the grass at Doomben in the CCC Final.

Olsen has been around the industry for long periods of his life but only recently opted to take out his training licence when he felt the time was right from an employment and family perspective.

He grew up around the caper with his father Kevin a jockey who rode in Melbourne and Queensland through the 1960s.

Olsen got too big to ride himself, so he stayed connected with the game as a strapper for the late Queensland Hall Of Fame trainer Jim Griffiths as well as working as a farrier.