More than five years after making the switch from thoroughbred racing to harness racing reinsman Michael Grantham feels he finally has the opportunity to win a Group 1.
Grantham, a winner at Group 2 level three times, teams up with highly talented pacer Bletchley Park in Friday night’s Simmonds Steel-4YO Classic (2130m) at Gloucester Park.
The 24-year-old has found himself as the number one driver for veteran trainer Mike Reed, who appears to have a prosperous summer period ahead of him.
Arguably the best horse in the Reed stable, Bletchley Park now has claims on being the horse to beat from barrier one in this Friday’s $125,000 feature.
Grantham has had two drives on the son of American Ideal for a second to Wildwest last month, before he was well beaten in the Pinjarra 4YO Classic on November 4.
Bletchley Park missed the 4YO Championship on November 15 but Grantham told TABradio the pacer was back in good order and was confident he could lead and win this week.
“I’ve watched a fair few of his replays and he’s gone 1.56 over 2500,” he said.
“His first two runs were (only) very just.
“Mike’s taken him home and he got blood counts done and he had a lot of things wrong with him.
“His coat was going off but now it’s black and shining.
“All reports are that he’s working really well.
“I was speaking to Mike yesterday and he said that we’ll be holding up.”
Bletchley Park’s stablemate Gran Chico has drawn next to him in barrier two and looms as the clear danger.
The New Zealand import couldn’t have been more impressive in his Australian debut on November 15 where he led and won in a tidy time of 1.56.3.
Gee Jay Kay (barrier three), Know When To Run (eight) and Wildwest (nine) loom as some of the other key chances on the front line.
The three runners on the second line Patrickthepiranha (10), Shockwave (11) and Theo Aviator (12) have all put in exceptional performances this campaign and also look well drawn.
Taroona Bromac and Its Rock And Roll were named as emergencies one and two respectively when the final field was released yesterday.
While Grantham was confident he had the right horse to win the race, he said any of the 12 runners were good enough to win.
“Every horse in that race deserves a start,” he said.
“The handicappers had a tough job to pick these 12 quality four-year-old horses.
“I reckon they’re the best four-year-olds we’ve had for a very long time.”
Grantham has gone close to Group 1 success previously, most notably with Michael Brennan’s stable star The Bucket List when he finished third in the 2018 WA Pacing Cup.
As well as Bletchley Park, Grantham’s association with the Reed stable will likely take him to Melbourne for the Group 1 Victoria Oaks in February with Tiffany Rose.
The filly has taken all before her in her WA starts to date and is expected to make the venture to the east coast early next year.
Grantham said he felt the next three months presented him with his best chance to score at the top level with Bletchley Park and Tiffany Rose.
“As a little kid you dream of these things,” he said.
“Your sort of half way home with barrier one, it leaves the thinking out of it.
“It’s why we always get up in the mornings, it’s horses to drive like these.
“It’s been a great opportunity for me.”
Friday night’s 4YO Classic gets underway at 7.43.
