Frolic poised for long-awaited comeback

Frolic’s calm demeanour is in contrast to her new trainer’s nerves leading into the Golden Slipper runner-up’s comeback in the Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick.

Edward O’Rourke took over training the filly when Michael Freedman relocated to Hong Kong last year.

The Irishman worked alongside Freedman before he headed to Asia, and much of their focus was on the now three-year-old.

Out of action since having bone chips removed from both fetlocks last April, Frolic has again worked within herself in the lead-up to her return at Randwick over 1200 metres on Saturday.

“She’s always been a very hard filly to read because she doesn’t really do anything much at home,” O’Rourke said.

“It’s hard to tell if she’s feeling well in herself or not because her work has been pretty easy, she never really shows us much. The race will tell us whether we’re back or not.”

O’Rourke, who took out his training licence when Freedman departed, was pleased with Frolic’s work on Monday and said there would be no deviation from her racing pattern when Jason Collett rides her for the first time.

“She’ll be poking away at the back and hopefully she’ll come home strong,” he said.

O’Rourke said the Group Two Light Fingers was a timely opportunity to repay the faith of the filly’s owners, the Kelly family.

“It’ll be great to pay them back, for sure. I hope she shows up obviously, and runs a nice race on her return,” he said.

Frolic will be joined by stablemate From Within, who is seeking to bounce back from a frustrating return at Rosehill on February 3.

The three-year-old filly ran sixth of eight in a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m) after being checked in the early stages.

“Her work’s been good but I’m not sure if she’ll get the 1200,” O’Rourke said.

O’Rourke had toyed with starting Ringerdingding in the Pierro Plate (1100m) but the colt’s debut will be held off until a two-year-old midweek Maiden.