THE season of growth for Bathurst Thoroughbred Racing will continue this Thursday as regular harness trainer Ashlee Grives makes her foray back into the scene for the first time in two years.
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Grives fields former Bjorn Baker runner Eye Will in the Erins Quality Outdoor Power Centre Class 1 Handicap (1.300 metres) alongside three other Bathurst-trained runners at Tyers Park.
The comeback to thoroughbred racing for Grives adds to what's already been a memorable season for the Bathurst club, who have already welcomed Gayna Williams and Wanda Ings' stables in 2020.
Grives said the return to Tyers Park has been made all the smoother thanks to the support from many people across the industry.
"I got involved with them a few years ago but took some time off while we had a family. You've got to rely on others to do trackwork and the travel to race them became a bit much later in my pregnancy," she said.
"I've met friends in stables who have worked for some of the better trainers in Sydney, and when I've needed to make a call for some advice they've always been there for me.
"Learning how to manage the thoroughbreds' workload has probably been the biggest challenge. The trotters work so much harder than them, and that's been an interesting thing to get my head around - getting them to an appropriate fitness level without flattening them."
Those challenges from the previous outing in thoroughbred training - which ran through until July 2018 - are still fresh in the mind of Grives.
But Grives believes overcoming those challenges and expanding her knowledge bank have been a rewarding experience.
"Even though they're both horses they're completely different to train," she said.
"Their personality and traits are different so it's been a new challenge for me, that's for sure. Where I've been disadvantaged is that I haven't worked for a thoroughbred stable. I've done it off my own knowledge.
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"It's been a learning curve but now, having had that experience and knowing more people in the industry, has definitely helped."
Eye Will is a handy pickup for Grives.
The four-year-old Tavistock mare was a two-time runner-up during her last preparation and already has a career win to her name.
Eye Will has a long way to go to live up to his original sale price tag of $120,000 but the potential is there.
"The owners had a thoroughbred with me the previous time around and they've supported me again, which I'm really grateful for. Hopefully she can deliver for them," Grives said.
This will be Eye Will's second run at Tyers Park, the same track he made his last start for Baker.
On that occasion he led the field into the home straight but faded badly at the 300m to run home ninth.
Grives will be hopeful Eye Will can make a better impression at her new home track, but the mare will have to overcome troubling first up form.
Dean Mirfin's Supergaze and Jetline, along with Ings' Snippetsline, give Bathurst four local horses in the running.
The race gets underway from 1.35pm with the seven-race meeting starting from 12.55pm.