Grimson’s brilliant filly set to sparkle

Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States of America and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence once said "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it". From the outside some could look upon Harness racing horseman Jason Grimson as lucky but as Jefferson suggested luck goes hand in hand with hard work.

In his first season of training Grimson has had 15 starters and has already won seven races including the Group 1 Bathurst Gold Tiara with Dont Think Twice. A number of trainers go their entire career without a Group 1 starter let alone a winner. Even Grimson's father Colin, who trained for more than three decades, never won a race at the highest level.

Grimson is hoping Dont Think Twice can provide him with his second Group 1 victory this Sunday afternoon when she competes in the Alabar Breeders Challenge for two year old fillies. With the $127,500 event less than a week away, Grimson could be excused for not letting the filly out of his sight but with most of her preparation now completed, the 22-year old will take part in this week's NSW Rising Stars series. The competition sees ten junior drivers race at different tracks around the state with the series concluding at Menangle on Sunday afternoon.

With such an important race in regards to his career coming up, Grimson could have been excused for turning his back on the series and putting the finishing touches on Dont Think Twice.

"I was never going to turn down the opportunity to contest the Rising Stars, it was always going to mean that I would be away from Dont Think Twice for the last five days before the Breeders Challenge," Grimson said.

"The series is a great chance to compete against other young drivers in NSW and drive some new horses for trainers that I haven't driven for previously. I want to move to Sydney to work in the industry on a fulltime basis and hopefully the Rising Stars Series will help me with that."

Grimson currently works for trainer Josh Powderly and it will be Powderly who will give the filly her last two hit outs before Sunday.

"Dont Think Twice will work on Tuesday and Thursday and then will just jog in the two days leading up to Sunday, I think you need to treat all of the horses the same, if you start giving the good ones special treatment then that's when things go wrong.

"She's a pretty cruisy filly, nothing worries her too much and I think her semi final win would have tightened her right up because she needed the run."

The day after Dont Think Twice won the Bathurst Gold Tiara, the filly was giving children pony rides in her paddock.

"She's very relaxed and nothing stresses her out too much. She does like some company when she is standing at the tie-up rail but apart from that you don't hear from her.

"Josh knows her very well, we work together in the mornings before he goes off to run his business and I finish up around the stable. She shouldn't notice anything different with me away."

Dont Think Twice won her semi final impressively and Grimson was happy with the barrier draw after she drew gate seven.

"I think the gate has worked out well because if she had drawn closer in I may have had to bustle her in the early stages and from out there I can make my mind up whether she charges out or I let her work forward.

"I think Decapria is the biggest danger in the race. Her semi final win was very good and she proved in a Menangle heat that she can sprint when she is saved up for one run. Might And Main is another one that I have a lot of respect for and she has drawn well."

Grimson confirmed Dont Think Twice will go to the paddock after Sunday's event and he won't be suffering.

"I don't get too nervous before a race and there is plenty of adrenalin once you jump into the sulky, I'm looking forward to it.

"She isn't paid up for anything else and she has done a really good job this season so she can go out for a spell."

Greg Hayes