It was billed as a night of potential triumph, but for the formidable harness racing combination of trainer Jason Grimson and driver Cameron Hart, Saturday’s meeting at the Melton Harness Racing Club became a frustrating, yet highly lucrative, exercise in near-misses.
The potent duo were relegated to the unenviable position of ‘bridesmaids’ twice over, securing second place in both the $250,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup and the Group 3 Ladyship Cup.
While the sting of being pipped at the post in two major features is undeniable for any competitive sportsman, the results underscored the duo’s elite status and the supreme quality of the Grimson stable, with both placings yielding significant stakes money and cementing their reputation on the grand stage.
The Victoria Cup: A Moment of Truth on the Home Turn
The night’s premier event, the Group 1 Sportsbet Victoria Cup ($250,000) over the 2240-metre journey, proved to be a thrilling, yet ultimately heartbreaking, contest. All eyes were on the Grimson-Hart representative, the highly talented pacer Hi Manameisjeff.
Hart, known for his tactical aggression and precision driving, executed a plan that very nearly delivered the coveted trophy. From an advantageous draw, Hart seized the lead, ensuring the race was run at a genuine clip. The highlight of the drive was a blistering third quarter of 26.9 seconds, a move designed to burn off his competition and test the stamina of the star-studded field.
The strategy successfully put heavy pressure on the Queensland champion, Leap To Fame, who was forced to race outside the leader. Rounding the home turn, Hi Manameisjeff looked every bit the winner, digging deep under Hart’s urgings. However, lurking just off the pace was the Luke McCarthy-trained and driven Kingman.
Having overcome an early scare where he put in an untimely gallop shortly after the start, Kingman enjoyed a slightly softer run behind the leaders before being pulled out wide to challenge.
In a powerful closing burst, Kingman reeled in the gallant Hi Manameisjeff, claiming the Group 1 title by a margin of 1.8 metres. The sheer closeness of the finish was a tough blow, confirming that just a fraction of speed was all that separated the team from a major carnival victory.
Ladyship Cup: Setting the Bridesmaids’ Tone
Earlier in the evening, the pattern was set in the Group 3 Hertz Melton Ladyship Cup ($50,000), a quality mares-only sprint over 1720 metres. Here, Grimson and Hart partnered with the mare Delightful Star.
Another polished drive from Hart saw Delightful Star positioned perfectly throughout the run, ready to pounce on the leaders. In a highly competitive sprint to the finish, the mare displayed great tenacity but could not match the closing speed of Surfingmakescents, who scored a decisive win for local veteran Kerryn Manning. Delightful Star had to settle for a solid second-place finish, just ahead of The Answer (Michael Stanley) in third. The result, while respectable, doubled the night’s disappointment, confirming the ‘bridesmaids’ tag for the duo in back-to-back features.
A Foundation of Success and Future Ambition
Despite the undeniable deflation that follows coming so close in two major races, both Grimson and Hart have more than enough history to remind them that second place at this level is still a monumental achievement.
A Group 1 runner-up placing in a race of the Victoria Cup’s stature pays handsomely, providing a substantial reward for the dedicated work put into campaigning a top-tier horse like Hi Manameisjeff.
Moreover, the partnership is defined by its ability to secure major success. Together, Grimson and Hart have carved out a reputation as “big-race hunters,” dominating feature races across Australasia.
Hart’s remarkable talent in the sulky, combined with Grimson’s innovative and often audacious training methods—which famously led to the legendary triumphs of horses like Ima SportyGee and Swayzee in some of the country’s most prized handicaps—means that they are never far from the winner’s circle. Their shared successes in previous seasons, particularly with multiple interstate Group 1 wins, under-score that this night of near-misses is merely a temporary setback.
As the major carnival moves forward, the focus for Grimson and Hart will quickly shift to upcoming features. With a barn full of talent and a proven record of bouncing back from minor defeats, racing fans can expect them to be fiercely competitive in the next Group races, determined to shed the ‘bridesmaids’ tag and return to their accustomed role as champions.
– Tully Potts
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