Shaken Sheehy hands over reins on refreshed Frankie

Comeback kid Tommy Sheehy has decided to take a short break from race driving after a car accident last month left him shaken up.

Tommy Sheehy.
Tommy Sheehy. Picture: Jack Sheehy (Social Media).

Dylan Egerton-Green will pilot Tommy Sheehy's two runners – Frankie J Holden and Trunkey Fetch – at Gloucester Park on Tuesday and Sheehy believes they would give a forward showing.

Sheehy was an outstanding junior reinsman but has focused on training in recent seasons.

He drove his first winner for four years when Miss Vung Tau was successful at Northam in June and followed up with a win on Foxy Rose at the same track in July.

But Sheehy said he would take a step back to recuperate from the accident on October 21.

"A car hit me and I bounced into the steering wheel," Sheehy said.

"I have been cleared to drive but I have decided to continue physio and get into the pool to strengthen up a bit.

"I am not going to give up driving. It will just take a bit of pressure off me.

"Dylan is a good driver and he goes around all the time. I'm sure he will give them their best chance."

Sheehy believed former Sydney pacer Frankie J Holden would develop into a city class horse.

The four-year-old was close up in five WA runs – including a second to Magnus Victor at Gloucester Park on August 15 – and Sheehy said he had come back stronger since a spell.

Sheehy drove Frankie J Holden to an impressive Byford standing start trial win on October 29. He also drove the gelding in his first five WA starts.

"I have no doubt he will develop into a Friday night horse. He has better than average ability," Sheehy said.

"He can run his last 800m in 56sec and we plan to set him for better races.

"He is such a big horse and he is still developing.

"His trial was good and I have taken him to Gloucester Park trackwork with Mike Reed and Brett Smith's horses, which has helped tighten him up.

"He has come back a bit gross and will need a couple of runs to top him off but if he leads on Tuesday I think he will win."

The Banjup trainer said Trunkey Fetch had also benefited from a good spell and would more than pay his way this campaign.

"He is absolutely thriving and has gone to another level," Sheehy said.

"He is not on Frankie's level but he is in the zone and his heartrate shows he is spot on. He will be a good little earner.

"We have made a couple of gear changes. Jack has worked on his shoeing and he is pacing really good."

Sheehy said a change to their training routine had also been valuable.

"We have made some changes to the property so we can work them out the back in the swamp, where it is cooler and there isn't any dust," he said.

"We also take them to the beach three times a week which has really helped them."


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