Episode 194: Fred Kersley (Part 1 Re-run)

The first segment of this special interview reviews the master horseman’s long and brilliant career as a trainer and driver in the harness racing field. Fred tells the story of his grandfather taking two pacers from Adelaide to Perth by ship, while the rest of the family crossed the Nullabor in an old Buick car. The Kersleys have been in Western Australia ever since. He reflects on the brilliant training and driving career of his father Fred Kersley Snr, who had never been able to win a WA Pacing Cup.Towards the end of his career, young Fred was able to give him the winning drive on James Eden in the historic race. It was a night of high emotion. Fred looks back on his very slow start as a trainer/driver. He couldn’t have imagined that he’d go on to win 16 metropolitan premierships. The master horseman recalls his association with the great pacer Pure Steel. He won the WA Derby with the up and coming champion, but later lost the horse following a disagreement with owner Russell Roberts. Fred pays tribute to Classic Garry, perhaps the fastest horse he ever drove. He has some nice things to say about this brilliant racehorse and hugely influential sire. He acknowledges some of the great drivers with whom he competed on Western Australian tracks.