Jockey Fred Larson set for Queensland stint

By Jordan Gerrans

Buoyed by the massive exposure of being linked to social media sensation Stephen “Bloggsy” Power, Englishman Fred Larson is eager to get a foothold in the riding ranks in the Sunshine State.

After initially riding in Victoria in his Australian stint, Larson has this month shifted north to the Gold Coast and had his maiden ride in Queensland at Ipswich on Saturday.

He nearly nabbed a fairytale first-up victory aboard a $101 outsider at Ipswich.

The 26-year-old has over 100 winners to his name back home in England. 

Larson landed in Australia during the spring carnival in Victoria and was immediately a well-known face to local punters after being featured on "Bloggsy’s" social media accounts.

The self-proclaimed 'greatest influencer' in horse racing was in Melbourne for the spring carnival and was lauded by many industry figures for his positive coverage during his trip. 

"Bloggsy" chatted to Larson during a Flemington race day and the jockey felt the social media video helped lift his profile in Australia and therefore gain more rides. 

The video was viewed by upwards of 25,000 people online. 

“I was delighted to get on, it was a big deal for me,” Larson said.

“You need exposure as a rider coming to a new place. At the end of the day, people wouldn’t have heard of me from back home because I wasn’t riding in Group 1s every week.

“You need someone to expose you and that puts a name and a face on me as a jockey who has come over here riding. 

"It didn’t do me any harm, put it that way.”

Larson rode around the country and provincial scene in Victoria through November and December without much luck before deciding to pull stumps and head north to the Gold Coast. 

He has linked up with the father-and-daughter training team of Tony and Maddysen Sears at Aquis Park. 

The Sears camp landed a Magic Millions triumph on Saturday with stable star Yellow Brick and they are keen to double the dose when the galloper returns to his home track this Saturday in the $2 million Magic Millions Cup.

Hoop Larson believes the Sears barn is a perfect place for him to base himself as he aims to establish himself in South East Queensland. 

“There are plenty of opportunities here,” he said.

“Now, that I am based with the Sears stable. The Sears’ are an upward and mobile stable; there is going to be a lot of opportunities coming out of their place.

“Fingers crossed we can make a good go of it up here. It is just a little tough to get those opportunities in Victoria.

“I am loving it up here so far. It is all going very well so far.”

He rode Sears-prepared runners at the Beaudesert trials on Monday morning. 

Larson is being managed by long-time jockey agent Adam Brook in his new Queensland venture.

Fellow Queensland newcomer Harrison Shaw, who rode a winner at Beaudesert late last month, is also being managed by Brook. 

Larson rode with and against Shaw back home in the United Kingdom when he was based near Newmarket in England.

He says he is no rush to head back to the UK and is open to staying in Queensland long-term if he can build some momentum in the riding ranks. 

His maiden ride aboard Kvas at Ipswich on Saturday will do him no harm of picking up more engagements in the near future.

Kvas from the Nathan Evans stable was sent out as a $101 shot – after earlier being $71 in the market – and ran into second place behind Better Sweet in the opening event from Ipswich on Saturday.

“For a big roughie, he ran well to run second,” he said.

“Hopefully it is onwards and upwards from here. I think there is plenty of support up here.

“The horse went around at big odds and to run second, that might have felt like a winner for connections.

“The horse showed a bit of form and hopefully she can go on with it.”

The majority of Larson’s Victorian opportunities were for Ballarat trainer Henry Dwyer.

The hoop struck up an association with the Dwyer camp after piloting multiple Group 1 champion Asfoora in her trackwork during her UK campaigns.  

Larson has bookings to ride at the Sunshine Coast on Friday before heading to Doomben on Saturday.