Frankie's new life - "he's amazing"

From being taken from Addington in a horse ambulance to his fresh start on a lifestyle block just out of Christchurch it's been quite the ride for former pacer Press Play.

Just under two years ago he began his Life After Racing with Sara Rodgers.

"Frankie's my first standy," says Rodgers, who works at Canterbury-based Thoroughbred operation Courtco.

"He's amazing and I adore him."

Press Play had been down a tough road before being re-homed.

The son of Shadow Play won four races from 37 races, one for Colin DeFilippi and then three for Joseph Gray.

After winning at Addington in July 2023 he went to the Winter Rewards at Addington, only to sustain an injury during the preliminaries.

He was taken away in the Horse Ambulance, and was diagnosed with a fracture in a hind leg.

It was serious but not life-threatening.

"The break wasn't big enough for them to screw it so it was four months box rest and then into a small paddock," says Gray.

Gray was then given the all clear to get Press Play back into work, but decided against it.

"I couldn't do it," says Gray, "I couldn't risk him getting re-injured so we retired him."
 
"He's such a beautiful horse - jet black!"

Enter Sara Rodgers.

She acquired him from well-known re-homer Michelle Morrison in 2024 and he started his Life After Racing at her property near Templeton.

"It was very much one step at a time," she says.

But over the ensuing months they made good progress to the point where they have now competed in a number of In-hand shows.

"He's placed in just about every one of them." she says, "he was Champion three times and Reserve once."

"The last time at Selwyn he was foot perfect - you couldn't fault him."

Along the way Rodgers has kept in touch with both Gray and Press Play's breeder Jackie Nelson.

"They are always keen to know what he's up to it," she laughs.

Now, once spring rolls around, she's keen to take him to more shows and, now that he has been re-educated to saddle, to get involved in some Ridden competitions as well.  

"We've just been doing the basics - it's mainly walking and trotting."

"I haven't ridden much in the past six years so it's much about my confidence as his."