By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
Cambridge horseman Rodney Frampton is vying to record his first training win when Monkee Around lines-up in the Racebook Donations Supporting Team Teal Mobile Pace (2200m) at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday.
It will be the Art Major mare’s debut run for the stable and Frampton is hopeful of a bold showing after a couple of pleasing workout results, including a win at her hometrack on Saturday.
“She has had a couple of workouts and she went quite nice in her workout on Saturday,” Frampton said.
“She is happy with the pace on and rolling along a little bit, that suits her best. She has got a good attitude and is a tough wee mare.”
The Alabar Stud bred and raced four-year-old will be driven by junior reinsman Luke Whittaker from barrier six, and the wide draw is the only concerning factor for her trainer.
“I think she will go a nice enough race, although she has drawn quite an awkward alley,” Frampton said.
“It will depend on what sort of run she gets. If she gets a nice run and is reasonably handy, she won’t be too far away.”
Frampton is in his first season of training, although his career in the industry stretches back nearly 40 years.
“I worked for John Langdon in the early to mid-eighties for about five years and I ended up being foreman there,” he said. “I drove a couple of winners and then I went to Australia for a couple of years.
“I came back and worked at a dairy company for a while and then I had a horse with Andrew and Lyn Neal. I had another one with David Marshall and I helped him out a little bit.
“I then started to work for Mike Berger and then Arna Donnelly, and now I am enjoying training myself.”
Frampton recaptured his love for the sport when taking out his amateur driver’s license nearly a decade ago.
“When I was helping out Andrew and Lyn, they had a horse there called Greg Brydon. We thought he would suit the amateur races, so I decided to get my license to drive him,” he said.
Frampton is training a team of eight at Cambridge Raceway and he said he has received a fair amount of support from local trainers, particularly former employer Mike Berger.
“Mike Berger helps me out quite a bit,” he said. “I am a breaker for him and I jog up a few for him. I have also got a couple of breakers for Alabar and they own Monkee Around.”
Frampton is happy working his small team and he said he derives a lot of satisfaction from earning a living from something he loves.
“I am quite happy training a few and breaking in a few, and making a living doing it,” he said.
“I have worked in other careers, so it’s quite good being able to work with horses. I enjoy it.