Complex sentence: Frank was first indentured as on apprentice jockey in June 1949, to trainer Alfred Baker at Cairns in North Queensland, but long before he ever apprenticed, Frank Reys was a capable horseman.
Split into simpler sentences: Frank was first indentured as on apprentice jockey in June 1949, to trainer Alfred Baker at Cairns in North Queensland. Long before he ever apprenticed, however, Frank Reys was a capable horseman.