Vale Frank Evans

By HRV

The harness racing industry is in mourning following the passing of highly-respected horseman Frank Evans at 91 years of age.

The pinnacle of Evans’ career occurred in 1984 as the trainer and driver of Lunar Lass, who became the first filly to win the Victoria Trotters Derby and Victoria Trotters Oaks.

A second career highlight came in 1995 when he trained Southern Salute to win the Kilmore Pacing Cup, with the horse driven by his grandson Fabian Bigmore.

Evans trained in excess of 140 winners and had a love for the trotting gait, with his best performers including multiple Moonee Valley winner Opulence, who he also drove to win his hometown St Arnaud Trotters Cup in 2003, and Rockhard, a winner of the 2002 New South Wales Trotters Derby.

Other multiple winners to have passed through Evans’ stables include trotters Compressor, Diamante, Misty Gift and Rocka Billy, as well as the high-class pacer Ataturk, who he trained to win 10 races before the gelding was sold to Western Australia.

Evans was still a licenced trainer at the time of his passing, having prepared his final winner at 86 years of age when Upandgone won at Maryborough in October 2016.

His last race starter was the trotter Our Ivy at Maryborough in April 2021.

A graveside service to commemorate the life of Frank Evans will be held at the St Arnaud cemetery on Friday, January 28, commencing at 2pm.

Harness Racing Victoria extends its sincere condolences to the extended Evans, Boyd and Bigmore families.