Captains Mistress NZ - Photo by Club Menangle
JASON Grimson is heading to Victoria, but just a bit later than he first expected.
Grimson will work through a busy night at Menangle on Saturday before finalising his Victorian raiders.
“I’ll go to Ballarat with Swayzee and one of my mares,” he told SENTrack radio.
“I did nominate Swayzee for Shepparton this week, but I’m trying to use my head.
“The Hunter Cup is the race I want to win (again) and he doesn’t need to go to war again this week.
“This race (2300m) really suits him at Menangle this week and then he heads to Victoria.”
Grimson will take one of his two recent exciting Kiwi imports, Captains Mistress or Tokyo Rose, with Swayzee.
Tokyo Rose, who has smashed the clock winning both starts for the stable since crossing the ditch, would be the more likely.
Along with Swayzee in the $100,000 Group 2 Ballarat Cup, one of Grimson’s mares will tackle the $50,000 Group 3 Make Mine Cullen for mares.
It’s the first of three feature mares’ races during the Summer of Glory.
The others are the $50,000 Group 3 Angelique at Cranbourne on January 31 and the $150,000 Group 1 Queen of the Pacific at Melton on February 14.
Swayzee is a $1.04 in the Saturday night’s For A Reason Standing at Cobbitty Equine Farm Pace at Menangle.
Captains Mistress is one of three finalists Grimson has in the Club Menangle Bert Alley New Years Gift Final (1609m). The others are Still Rollin (gate one) and Demon Blue (12).
Despite drawing wide in gate eight, Captains Mistress has been crunched from $1.80 into $1.40.
Grimson revealed Chariots Of Fire plans for the four-year-old, who was a superstar filly in NZ before recently joining his stable.
“She’s good enough to be a rare mare to win it,” he said.
Only three mares have won the Chariots Of Fire since it was run in 1995.
Innocent Eyes was the most recent 19 years ago for Graeme and Gavin Lang. Before that, Kiwi mare Oaxaca Lass won in 2003 and Lombo Rapida was victorious in 2000.
In other stable news, Grimson said last Saturday night’s stunning Menangle winner Rakero Rocket was unlikely to tackle any Melbourne features.
“He just looks an ideal Miracle Mile horse. I haven’t absolutely ruled out the Hunter Cup, but it’s unlikely,” he said.
“Cam and I love him. He got a bit crook when he first came over, but you’ve seen what he can do now.
“I’d say if Cam had to choose now, he’d pick Rakero Rocket over Swayzee for a Miracle Mile drive.
Beyond the Miracle Mile, Grimson said it was likely he would chase both the Cambridge and Perth slot races in April.
“The owners of Rakero Rocket actually have a slot at Cambridge, but whether he goes there or Swayzee, I’m not sure,” he said.
“I’ve been in talks with the Perth people, but I don’t think I’d send Swayzee over again. Maybe Rakero Rocket could go there.”
