jockeyhub.com.au
Now Retired Champion Jockey Robbie Fradd has taken on a mentor role to Leading Brisbane Apprentice Jockey Angela Jones. Fresh out of heart surgery, Fradd received a call from Top Queensland Trainer Tony Gollan to offer him the opportunity to mentor Angela Jones, one of the best up and coming jockeys in the country.
Gollan believes that Fradd’s mentorship will be of great value to Angela Jones as she approaches the end of her apprenticeship and moves into senior riding.
“I think some of these young riders need a cool head mentoring them to help them through the pressures they face,” Gollan said.
“Robbie has got the right nature for it.
“I really wanted an old head to help Angela get through the pitfalls that a jockey can face going through their apprenticeship.
“Robbie understands racing really well, he is unbelievably experienced and he’s a really good person to go with it.
“I thought he was the perfect choice.”
Fradd was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to mentor the young apprentice jockey and believes she has a real future in racing.
“Tony said he would put me on his books to mentor Angela, that sounds great,” Fradd said.
“I’ve been through a lot of pressures in my riding career so I can pass some of my experiences onto her and how to deal with various things.
“Angela has got the ability as a rider, there is no question about that, and she has got a lovely attitude towards the industry.
“Sometimes though when you lose your (riding) claim that’s when the pressure goes on, because you have got to keep riding winners without your claim, and that’s where I can help her.”
Despite confronting serious health issues in recent times, Fradd hasn’t lost his trademark dry wit.
When asked about his heart operation, Fradd said: “It was a five-hour operation, they took one hour to find my heart and then four hours to rectify the problem.”
Jones has seven wins for the year already with four of her win rides coming from the Gollan stable.
