Grimson’s Kiwi imports light up Menangle

Jason Grimson is on the crest of a wave with his latest batch of Kiwi harness racing imports.

Rakero Rocket, Captains Mistress and Tokyo Rose have all turned heads and looked feature race stars in the making in recent weeks.

All three smashed the clock winning at Menangle last Saturday night.

And Captains Mistress is $1.40 favourite to make it two wins from as many starts for the stable in the New Years Gift final (1609m) at Menangle this Saturday night.

It follows her sparkling debut win for Grimson when she paced a 1min50sec mile to win by 18.6m.

Remarkably, her 25.3sec last quarter was the equal fastest ever run at Menangle.

Tokyo Rose made it two wins for Grimson with a 1min49.4sec mile last week, but went even quicker at 1min48.7sec on debut for the barn a week earlier.

“Tokyo Rose has surprised a few, but not Cam (Hart) and I,” Grimson told SENTrack radio. “We’ve loved her since she got here.

“As good as Tokyo Rose is, Captains Mistress is outstanding and I think she can be a rare mare to win the Chariots Of Fire.”

Only three mares have won the Chariots Of Fire since it was first run in 1996. They are: Innocent Eyes (2006), Oaxaca Lass (2003) and Lombo Rapida (2000).

Grimson said one of Tokyo Rose or Captains Mistress would accompany his champion stayer Swayzee to Victoria next week.

Swayzee will cap his preparation as a $1.04 favourite in a 2300m free-for-all at Menangle on Saturday night.

He is likely to back-up a week later against Leap To Fame and maybe New Zealand Cup champion Kingman in the $100,000 Group 2 Ballarat Cup.

Whichever mare Grimson takes south will clash with champion mare Eye Keep Smiling in the $50,000 Group 3 Make Mine Cullen on the same night.

The other mares’ features during Victoria’s Summer of Glory are the $50,000 Group 3 Angelique at Cranbourne on January 30 and the $150,000 Group 1 Queen of the Pacific at Melton on February 14.

But Grimson said Rakero Rocket was likely to stay in NSW.

“I haven’t totally ruled out the Hunter Cup, but he looks such a good Miracle Mile horse that’s our main aim,” he said.

Rakero Rocket blazed to a 1min47.3sec mile win at Menangle last Saturday night.

It was second only to My Field Marshal’s 1min46.9sec in the 2018 Miracle Mile as the fastest mile in Australasian history.

“Cam and I love him,” Grimson said. “He got a bit crook when he first came over, but he’s showing why we like him so much now.

“He’s not just a leader, he’ll be explosive off a sit, too. He’s versatile.”

Beyond the Miracle Mile, Grimson said he would almost certainly have a runner in the Race by betcha.

“The owners of Rakero Rocket have a slot, but whether he goes or Swayzee, I’m just not sure,” he said.

“I’m also talking to the Perth people about their slot race. I doubt I’d take Swayzee back there, so maybe that’s an option for Rakero Rocket.”

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing New Zealand