YOUNG-based driver Jason Grimson has fond memories of Bathurst Paceway, having tasted the biggest success of his still fledgling career at the venue in March when he won the $102,000 Gold Tiara with filly Don’t You Think.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
He trained and drove the relative outsider to a memorable victory, and he’s been returning almost weekly ever since, driving semi-regularly for local trainer Peter Trevor-Jones.
He will line up tonight in a couple of the feature races on an impressive program, as the third and fourth 2,260 metre heats of the ongoing NSW Rising Stars Drivers Series are staged at the venue.
Grimson will take the reins on ultra-consistent Billy Muscat gelding Its Inevitable in the first of the heats, before driving Katie Jenner’s talented five-year-old gelding Ned Pepper in the following race.
Like any race in which drivers partner unfamiliar horses, it is somewhat of a lottery, but Grimson is happy with the cards he’s been dealt.
“Both those horses go pretty well. Ned Pepper [gate seven] is from near Young, so I’ve seen him race pretty regularly and know a bit about him,” Grimson said.
“I don’t know as much about Its Inevitable [gate four], but he has raced strongly pretty much everywhere and has been really consistent each week without maybe picking up the wins he should have.
“I think, looking across both those races, there are some strong chances in each of them, but the standout would be A Life Under Fire for Lester Hewitt in the first heat where I’m driving Its Inevitable.
“He’s won three straight, and although he’s drawn pretty poorly from the inside of the back row I think he’s the biggest danger. Stuey [McDonald] is driving well at the moment and will give him every chance.”
Both heats will feature local driver Mitch Turnbull, who will drive Abercrombie Alice for Bathurst trainer Leon Bennetts out of gate six in the first heat, and another Bathurst horse, Limitation for Ashlee Grives, in the second.
His cousin Ellen Rixon, granddaughter of legendary local trainer A. D. Turnbull, will drive Shes The Other One in the first heat and Puffnstuff in the second.
According to Grimson, there is a natural rivalry in these races given there is more than just prizemoney up for grabs.
“Everyone is pretty competitive. We’ve all driven against each other a fair bit and no-one wants to lose to the other drivers in that age bracket,” he said.
“They are tough series to win, though, because you need a lot of luck with which horses you get paired up with. It can make it pretty tough.”
On the training front, Grimson’s star Tiara winner resumed work late last month with a stylish win and followed it up with another success in a Breeders Challenge semi-final, the final of which will be staged this Sunday.
Today’s Bathurst meeting will get underway from 4.33pm.
