By Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
Dual Group One winning Tamborine trainer, Shawn Grimsey, notched up his 300th career win at Redcliffe Paceway on Wednesday (May 22) – behind a cantankerous mare he wished he never bought.
“On hindsight we probably wouldn’t have brought this horse had we known how bad tempered she was. The previous owner said she had a few issues, but we didn’t realise she was a complete ‘nutter’. In fact, if any other owner brought her to us, we would probably say no thanks,” Grimsey said.
“We have 12 in work at the moment and sometimes the numbers can get up to 16. Of the 12, she’s 12th on my list, She’s an angry horse who is very well named,” added Grimsey’s cautious wife and co-trainer, Michelle.
Angelic She Aint created Grimsey’s personal milestone in race one which was also Heat 9 of the 2024 Trot Rods Series. The vicious Alta Christiano mare won by 2.3 metres as the $26 despised outsider in the five-horse field.
The 7-year-old bay paced the 947m mobile in 65 seconds flat – 0.5 of a second slower than Heat 10 winner, and overall leader Master Charles, who stopped the clock at 64.5.
“That was a top drive by Nathan. He actually suggested we enter her inn the trot Rods Series after she won for us on the same track last month (April 25). That was also a scary night. Sher let drive in the stables and poor Nathan came oh so close to wearing both barrels.
“I’d hate to think what we would have done with her had Nathan got injured. She will bite and kick you before you realise it. Shawn and I are just so grateful for the way Nate has driven the horse – and for his advice to start her in the Series. She’s a fiery thing yet on race-day around other horses she can be as quiet as a mouse. Nathan now knows how to get the best out of her.
“I’m not sure she can go on and win the Series because I think she has got maybe two tenths of a second improvement in her. Perhaps half a second, but after that she might be stretched,” Grimsey (Michelle) said.
Angelic She Aint has now 30 starts for six wins, five placings and $32,909 in purses since making her debut second at The Riverina on October 4, 2022. The Grimseys’ bought her last December, and the bay has now had nine starts for them for two wins and a third.
“We were actually going out to a party on New Year’s Eve and Shawn saw that she was for sale online, so he bought her. She was previously trained by Chris Hughes at Leeton and we bought her mainly for the mares races at Albion Park, like we did Speed Dating (13 wins & $158,136) and Sergios Rocket (six wins & $61,476).
“She hasn’t stepped up to that mark yet, and that’s why we have been racing her around Redcliffe. If only she had the right attitude at home, but she’s a big ask. Just getting her on the float is near impossible. If she doesn’t have a mate to travel with, forget it,” Grimsey (Michelle) said.
She said she was proud of her husband’s achievement notching up 300 from 2,193 starters since the 1994-95 season. He’s also placed 551 times and netted $2.3m in stakes. Grimsey also boasts two Group Ones – Teddy Disco (2021 Redcliffe Yearling Series 2yo Pace) and the Wicked Style (2012 RQIS 3yo Final at Albion Park), plus six Group Twos, a Group Three, and a Listed Classic event.
“Shawn works very hard for his wins. We don’t have any staff, so it’s a full-time job for both of us. I enjoy working with Shawn. I think we compliment each other. We know what we have to do each day and we get it done,” Grimsey said.
The man himself said he wasn’t really statistics person, siting the Trot Rods victory as just another win.
“It’s just a number really. I don’t really take too much notice of statistics, and I don’t really set myself number targets with me. It’s more about winning every race I can. I’m more interested in the stakes.
“It was really good to get a Trot Rods win though, because in spite of all her anger, the mare does have a bit of speed. We’ve drawn two again in race five (6.26pm) on Wednesday, but we have a quick horse inside us (Wonderwoman Jujon), so it’s not going to be easy.
The Peter Greig trained 2024 Trot Rods pace-setter, Master Charles, has also copped the same three draw in race eight at 7.58pm.
His leading time of 64.5 is 1.2 second slower than the Trot Rods record set two years ago.
Last year the Trent Moffat trained Vanity Bay recorded the fastest time of 63.8 seconds. It came in the 17th of the 20 heats on the final night on May 24. Vanity Bay’s time was the second quickest ever recorded in four years of the Trot Rods Series. Ricky Thurlow trained and Cam Hart driven Just Dessy set the quickest time of 63.4 seconds in 2022.
“I’m not sure she (Angelic She Aint) can go any quicker, but she does have the same draw. I know there are some really quick horses like Aroda racing later in the night (race nine),” Grimsey said.
The Grimseys, who are both 51, have 19-year-old daughter, Georgia. In fact, they named their dual Group Two winning broodmare, Georgia Grace (1:53.6) after her. That 2012 Rock N Roll Heaven mare won 16 of her 61 starts, and placed in 28 others ($143,812) between February 2015 and August 2018.
“She’s left an American Ideal 2-year-old named Im Alby, who has had two Redcliffe starts this month (May 15 (seventh) and May 22 (fifth). He’s still very green and got a lot to learn, but we think he will develop into a nice horse. His Mum was a very nice pacer,” Grimsey (Michelle) said.
However, she was quick to point out that Orchid Stride (1:50.2) and Teddy Disco (1:52) are the current stable stars. The former was a last start Albion Park winner (May 11) who has won 14 of his 43 starts and $146,867. Group One-winning ‘Teddy’ has won 14 of his 38 starts ($245,535).
Michelle is the daughter of 78-year-old Tamborine hobby trainer, Rod Wingrave (27 wins).
“I’ve grown up around horses and had a pony when I was a child, then I met Shawn at the Parklands races about 20 years ago. The rest is history,” the Merrimac born and educated horsewoman said.
The ‘handlebars down – full throttle’ 20-heat Trot Rods Series kicked off at Redcliffe Paceway on Wednesday April 24). Ten heats remain in one of the shortest sprint journeys – the 947-metre (one lap) mobile. Guest driver this week will be multiple Group One winning driver on both sides of the Tasman –Anthony Butt.
Meanwhile Redcliffe Harness Racing Club President, Bernie Ring, said the Trot Rods concept had continued to soar in popularity since its inception in 2020.
“It’s a unique idea which is attracting great interest locally, in Australia and across the Tasman. I just want to thank Tuza Floats for their sponsorship of a three-horse angle float for the winner. They are a well-known company in the equine industry and we are proud to have them on board. They have been with us since day one, and we can’t thank them enough for their on-going support.
“The Series Finals night will be shown on Sky 2 with Ryan Phelan, Brittany Graham and one of our top drivers, Angus Garrard as their guest commentator. Best of luck to everyone involved,” Ring said.
Wednesday’s (May 29) Trot Rods fields for Grand Final night can be viewed here:
https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=RE290524
Footnote: Tamborine is a rural town in the Scenic Rim Region and a locality split between that region and the City of Logan. It boasts a population of 3,950, and is 60km south of Brisbane, and is 50km north-west of the Gold Coast.
