Danny Frawley’s widow Anita Frawley with a chance of Magic Millions victory with Vianarra
A longshot win in Saturday’s $3m Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast would bring deserved joy to Danny Frawley’s widow and mental health campaigner Anita Frawley.
Few sporting triumphs in 2024 would touch the soul more than Vianarra winning Saturday’s $3m Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast.
TAB gives the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained colt only a slim chance of winning, rating him a $41 chance, but the youngster would bring a ton of joy to a most deserving part-owner if he saluted.
Anita Frawley, the widow of AFL legend Danny Frawley, bought a small share in the son of Irish stallion Shalaa after meeting Young at the famous Royal Ascot meeting in England in June.
“I met Nat and a couple of other girls in the horse when I went to Ascot races in June,” Frawley said.
“They said, ‘do you want to go in this colt?’ so we decided to go in with them and that’s how it evolved.
“I’m just very, very happy to be a part of it and just so excited for all the group.
“They are just fantastic people and I’m really good friends with Nat and she’s done an amazing job.”
Vianarra is still a maiden after four starts but has produced solid efforts at his last two outings, finishing third in the Ballarat Magic Millions Classic and second at Randwick last month.
Parkour wins the opener at Randwick! @jamieleekah07@JamesCummings88pic.twitter.com/N4AMSnht3b
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 30, 2023
The talented sprinter is the latest chapter of Frawley’s lifelong involvement in racing, which began watching her father, former successful Ballarat trainer Barry James, prepare his team at Sylvan Lodge.
Frawley, until recently, took over to run Sylvan Lodge as an agistment and horse rehabilitation facility.
The Magic Millions 2YO Classic is the biggest race in which Frawley has had a runner but another of her charges, Danny’s St Darci, ran second in last Saturday’s Listed Black Pearl Stakes (1200m) at Geelong.
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“Sylvaner won a couple of Group races for us in Adelaide but they weren’t worth as much as this,” she said. “This is easily the biggest race I’ve been involved in.”
Vianarra will not only race for $3m in prizemoney, he will compete for another $500,000 Magic Millions Women’s Bonus offered to runners featuring all-female ownership.
But whether or not Vianarra wins the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, Frawley will continue to indulge the passion for racing she once shared with her late husband in addition to her tireless work raising awareness of male mental illness and concussion research.
“Danny absolutely loved racing and we were doing that together so it obviously fills a void and I’ll always be a part of it,” she said.
“I will always have an involvement in horses. You just can’t help it.
“I love the horses, love the animals and just love the whole industry. I just can’t walk away from racing, that’s for sure. It’s in my blood.”
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Unfortunately, Frawley can’t make it to the Gold Coast but her neighbours should prepare for a bit of noise late on Saturday afternoon.
“I can’t get up there for the race but I’ll be cheering and I’m sure the girls will do me proud.
“He’s in the race, he’s got a chance and we’re just celebrating the fact he got there and it was an incredible training feat to get him there.”
Jockey John Allen has the task of getting Vianarra home from barrier 15.
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