Riverina great Richard Freyer dies at 69

AAP - Monday August 7

Champion Riverina trainer Richard Freyer has died aged 69 after a long illness.

Photo: Darryl Sherer

A licensed trainer for 47 years and the winner of 16 successive NSW Southern Districts premierships, Freyer was more widely known for the deeds of Leica Falcon, the one-time favourite for the 2006 Melbourne Cup.

"Richard was a prolific Cup winner and won eight Albury Cups, 12 Corowa Cups, 10 Berrigan Cups and a National Sprint in Canberra with Prince Tone," SDRA chairman of stewards John Davidson said.

A Group Two winner of the Winning Edge Presentation Stakes, Leica Falcon finished an unlucky fifth in the 2005 Caulfield Cup and went on to run fourth in the Melbourne Cup won by Makybe Diva.

In the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup, Freyer told the ABC's 7.30 Report the whole community was right behind them.

"When we went to the Cup there were people on the side of the road waving to us wishing us good luck as we drove from the stables through the town," Freyer said.

Leica Falcon suffered a tendon injury before the 2006 Cup and the following year was stranded in his Corowa stable when equine influenza stopped NSW horses travelling to Victoria.

Freyer's last winner was Autocrat at Narrandera on July 23.

He is survived by his daughter Kylie and son Rick who is also a trainer.

His funeral service will be held at St John's Church in Corowa at 11am on Saturday.

Advertisment
More Reading...
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.