Family name fuels Grimson’s gallops ambition

By Jordan Gerrans

The Grimson surname is synonymous with feature race riches in harness racing and is now starting to make waves in the gallops.

Thoroughbred trainer Simon Grimson is the older brother of top harness conditioner and driver Jason Grimson.

Jason recently lifted another Inter Dominion crown in the Sunshine State when Captains Mistress upset local hero Leap To Fame to add to the trainer’s already bulging trophy cabinet.

Simon, on the other hand, is just starting out preparing gallopers and is in his third season with a licence.

He collected his first victory since going out on his own at Warra on Saturday afternoon when Gandalf won well in the Benchmark 50 Handicap over 1100 metres.

Simon is hopeful the non-TAB victory at Warra on the Darling Downs pushes him towards competing in feature races like his brother down the line.

“It was great, a good step in the right direction, going forward,” Simon said.

“I have got a big stable of two-year-olds behind me at the moment, a lot of them are unraced as yet, so we are looking forward to seeing them.

“I've spent a lot of time with bigger trainers around New South Wales and training myself seemed like the right avenue to take now.

“I think I got sick of seeing good horses go through the system and then you lose them.”

The 34-year-old Simon dabbles with his own team of around nine gallopers, with his primary focus in the racing caper being breaking in and educating horses for other stables.

Renowned Mishani owner Mike Crooks is one of Simon’s major clients while he also spent time working for Donna Stanbridge when he first relocated to the Sunshine State from New South Wales.

The horseman has worked as a trackwork rider, clerk of the course and stable foreman for an array of trainers and clubs across both codes of racing over the years.

Gandalf was initially prepared in NSW by Brad Widdup before Simon snapped the gelding up online and he now races the sprinter.

The six-year-old gelding broke through in his fifth effort in Queensland on Saturday.

In the process, Gandalf set a new track record for the 1100 metre journey at the Warra track while lumping a large impost of 63kg.

Simon believes the booking of leading heavyweight hoop Paul Hamblin was key in the victory as Gandalf had been well beaten in his last two outings with apprentices in the saddle.

“It was really nice to see,” he said of the win.

“There is not a lot for him and he was a cheap acquisition.

“It's nice to see him finally put it together after he had a few mishaps, like missing the kick at Dalby and Warwick.

“We have learnt a bit about him. He's a nice horse. He's just got a few problems, but we are starting to put it together now.

“Putting the senior on definitely helped him a hell of a lot. It definitely helped him.

“Paul rides with the long rein, it made a big difference. It was good to see him carrying that sort of weight to break the track record.

“We wanted to claim off him, but he's just not a kid's horse, we have found.”

Simon trains out of a private property between Warwick and Toowoomba alongside fellow trainer Mick Morgan.

He will head into the Warwick Turf Club to work his racehorses - as well as the youngsters he is educating - when required.

Following a smart recent Warwick trial, Simon is keen to see Belistic Man back at the races and thinks the veteran gelding can be competitive when he heads to Goondiwindi on Saturday.

Away from his own stable, Simon has around 22 horses he works from a breaking perspective at any one time and can rotate through as many as 60 horses in a year.