Racing: Fradd for carnival

Top South African jockey Robbie Fradd will be a star attraction on the first day of Wellington Cup meeting.

The Hong Kong premiership winner has been booked for the Southland filly Elena in the $300,000 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and is also available to take some other rides for the meeting on January 22.

Fradd, 40, is a former South African premiership winner and has been riding in Hong Kong for eight seasons. He has won over 300 races in Hong Kong and has been associated with the champion Hong Kong gallopers Fairy King Prawn and Electronic Unicorn.

His victories on Fairy King Prawn included the group one Yasuda Kinen in Japan in 2000. Fradd's engagement for Elena was organised by co-trainer Neil Ridley, who has met the jockey several times on trips to Hong Kong.

"He rode a Zabeel horse I sold up there that won several races," Ridley said. "We actually tried to get a couple of Australian jockeys but when they were not available, I tried Robbie. When you have paid $12,000 for a late entry, you want to give your horse every possible chance."

Fradd will also ride Elena's stablemate Art's Success.

Sydney jockey Chris Munce will ride the Gai Waterhouse-trained filly Basra in the oaks.

Munce could ride Martique in the Telegraph and Final Reality in the Wakefield.

- NZPA