Andrew Noblet trained Foxy Frida out to bounce back in Ballarat Cup

A below-par lead-up run stunned local trainer Andrew Noblet but he expects Foxy Frida to bounce back on softer ground in Saturday’s Ballarat Cup.

Foxy Frida will be out to improve sharply in Saturday’s Listed Ballarat Cup. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Local mare Foxy Frida answered one question last year but needs to answer another one in Saturday’s Ballarat Cup.

Ballarat trainer Andrew Noblet didn’t know whether Foxy Frida could run the 2000m of the $500,000 feature before the mare produced a mighty effort to run fifth to Zayydani.

Noblet could argue a bad barrier cost Foxy Frida a Ballarat Cup win after she finished 1¼ lengths from the winner in 2021.

“She was probably a bit stiff not to win it,” Noblet said.

“She drew barrier 20 on a pretty leaderish day and she hit the line great.

“Last year we were guessing whether she could run the 2000m but this year we know she can.”

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Foxy Frida went on the won a Listed race over 2015m in Adelaide in the autumn before embarking on her spring campaign.

The daughter of Foxwedge ran solid fourths, beaten less than two lengths, in her first three runs this time in, including at Group 2 level in the Let’s Elope and Stocks Stakes.

“Up until last start, she’d been running really well, albeit without winning,” Noblet said.

“She hadn’t been beaten far in much better races than she was running in last year.”

Those runs inspired confidence in Foxy Frida in the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes over 2000m at Flemington on Champions Day.

But the five-year-old disappointed connections when she turned in the worst run of her 20-start career, beating only one runner home.

Noblet was at a loss to find a reason for the below-par effort.

Foxy Frida finished only 1¼ lengths from the winner in the 2021 Ballarat Cup. Picture: Michael Klein

“She was a bit out of sorts at Flemington but she’s pulled up fine and come out of the race well so we’ll keep pushing ahead,” Noblet said.

“There was nothing obviously wrong with her, so that was a little problem.”

Noblet said he could only think of one possible reason for Foxy Frida’s disappointing run, which he admitted as a “lame excuse”.

“The only thing we can make a case for being wrong was that it was the first time she’d hit a firm track for the best part of 12 months,” Noblet said.

“Whether she didn’t appreciate it, we’re not sure.

“It’s a pretty lame excuse but that’s the only thing we could think of.

“They get ready on wet tracks all winter and it was even soft in Adelaide when she won and her runs this time in were on affected ground.

“She gets to Flemington and they’re racing on a Good 3 and she doesn’t go.

“Hopefully that was the reason.”

Noblet was confident Foxy Frida would be able to compete on a soft surface in the Ballarat Cup.

The Ballarat track was rated a Heavy 9 on Tuesday afternoon but is likely to improve into the soft range before showers return on Saturday.

“I think the race this year is going to be stronger than last year,” Noblet said.

“It won’t be firm on Saturday.

“Hopefully she can have a much better draw, better than 20 anyway.”

Patrick Moloney will ride Foxy Frida in the Ballarat Cup.

Originally published as Andrew Noblet trained Foxy Frida out to bounce back in Ballarat Cup