Golden Sunset chasing more ID history

By Jordan Gerrans

Track records come and go, but history lasts forever.

That is the mantra of the Grimsey stable when they reflect on Golden Sunset’s remarkable Inter Dominion achievement this time last year.

Even, 12 months on from the feat, it is still hard to fathom.

With the Shawn Grimsey-prepared Golden Sunset claiming a heat of the Inter Dominion series in 2025, the square gaiter became the first Queensland horse to win a trotting heat in the history of the time-honoured series.

The prized Inter Dominion series dates all the way back to 1948, so it is astonishing that a Sunshine State trotter had not won a race in the series until the daughter of Skyvalley did so last year.

Golden Sunset is back for another campaign in 2026 and finished fifth in her heat on Saturday evening at Albion Park.

The nine-year-old mare ran into ninth in the ID Grand Final last year and the Grimsey camp are hopeful of reaching the decider again this time around.

“It's a great thrill,” Grimsey said of holding the rare milestone.

“She had the Albion Park track record last year for a little while, but that can always be beaten.

“But, for her to be the first Queensland-trained trotter to win a heat, that's etched in history. That'll never change.”

The Chantal Turpin-prepared Gus nabbed a heat victory on Saturday night to add to Queensland's tally when it comes to ID trotting heat victories.

Premier Queensland reinsman Nathan Dawson was in the bike when Golden Sunset scored in her opening ID heat last year.

Shane Graham took the reins in the Grand Final and was again in the seat on Saturday night in the second heat of the first round.

After starting from seven on the front row, Graham and Golden Sunset ran into fifth in a credible performance.

The 53-year-old Grimsey believes Golden Sunset is travelling just as well as she was last year and he is hopeful she can again reach the Grand Final.

“We're really happy with her,” he said.

“Her work's been excellent.

“At the beginning of last year when she was going through the grades, she was drawing in a bit closer and she's got good gate speed.

“So, the front was always an option for her. But, she's been racing a lot off the stands and she's off 30 metres.

"She's the equal of where she was last year. Whether she's better, I don't know. That's hard to say.

“If you just go off her form, you'd say she is not going better than what she was last year.

“But, then when you look at sectionals and where she's sitting in runs now, she's got to be the equal to where she was last year.”

Grimsey prepares his team of horses alongside his wife Michelle at Tamborine.

Their stable has become a ‘home away from home’ for Victorian trainers during the Queensland Constellations of 2026.

Michael Bellman used their facilities with three-time Group 1-winning trotter Mecarno ahead of Saturday's The Great Square.

Rockinwithattitude, the 2024 champion of The Great Square, is also based at the Grimseys' camp for the carnival with trainer and driver David Miles.

As well as Golden Sunset in the trotters, Grimsey is also campaigning stablemate Dashing in the pacers division of the ID series.

Driven by Dawson, Dashing finished almost seven metres behind heat winner Bay Of Biscay when sixth in the opening heat of the series.

Dashing and Golden Sunset both picked up valuable points in the series in the first round of heats on Saturday evening.

Dashing has drawn the second row in the second heat this coming Saturday night in the second round.

Stablemate Golden Sunset copped a similar draw for her assignment, as well.

For a relatively small stable in Queensland, Grimsey says he and his wife are chuffed to be able to have a starter in both gaits of the ID series.

“We're very proud of that,” he said.

“It's a big effort. I think we've got nine in work at the minute, racehorses. So, to have two of them going around in the heats, it is pretty good.”

Dashing is treated as a pet at the Grimsey stable, the trainer says.

As is the case for all of the Queensland trainers and drivers competing in the 2026 ID series, Grimsey says it is a thrill to showcase the time-honoured event on home soil.

“Obviously, we don't have to travel and we're racing for tip-top money,” he said.

“If this series was at Menangle, I don't think we'd be going away for three weeks.”