With a wealth of experience behind her working for top harness racing stables in Australia and New Zealand, Amanda Grieve was always going to step up to the plate with the right opportunity.
And that came eight months ago when her former boss, astute Lara horseman Dean Braun decided to move away from full-time training and concentrate on a few business ventures-exporting horses to the US and assisting his partner Pauline at her Melton Saddlery business.
Needless-to-say, in her role as head trainer, Grieve has taken a similar approach to Braun. Put simply, concentrating on quality of horse flesh, rather than quantity.
"I'm actually only training a small team of four at the moment. There are a few others out spelling such as Holy Basil, but I seem to be spending all day at the farm doing them. I don't know if I could do too many more," Grieve said.
"We've been getting a fair bit of rain being near the coast. That tends to slow things down because I try to bring them inside if it starts getting too heavy."
Grieve's latest success was at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night when talented youngster Pur Dan (Art Major-Collectable NZ (Mach Three) took out the TAB Long May We Play Pace. He was handled by star lightweight driver Kima Frenning.
To watch the video replay of Pur Dan winning click here
The win took Grieve to a tally so far this season of 11 wins, 15 second placings and 7 thirds for $122,000 in stakes. Her win/place percentage to race starters sits at an impressive 56 percent.
Pur Dan, raced by well-known and successful owners in Danny Zavitsanos, of Geelong, and Warren Viney, of Tasmania, started his career in New Zealand under the care of Mark Purdon (hence the play on his surname in naming the horse: Pur Dan).
"He won first up as a 2yo at Addington, and then had a second and a fourth. He's got a few issues and had a wind operation after those first three starts. Despite being quite lazy in getting him to do anything, he's a nice type and is an honest horse," Grieve said.
"Kima was actually rapt with the win and told me later that he's still green and should keep showing a lot of improvement with more race experience."
Grieve said that under the national ratings system, Pur Dan kept missing out on racing in his age group.
"He always had a few too many points and was racing in the next grade. He was sent out a red hot favorite a few times, but he was far from disgraced being runner-up four times and had a third and a fourth," she said.
Kima Frenning after her Melton success with Pur Dan
Others in the Grieve stable are StaggerLee, War Dan and rising nine-year-old superstar Cruz Bromac.
Grieve couldn't hide her excitement at again having Cruz Bromac back in her care.
"Yes, he's my favorite. Horses like him don't come along all that often. We've had him back for a couple of weeks now," Grieve said.
"He ran fifth in the Auckland Cup on New Year's Eve. He later had a problem in his leg or hoof. I don't think they could pin-point it, although most thought it was in his fetlock.
"But there's no problems at all now. It's quite exciting because he's a brilliant horse. He will just be brought up nice and easy. It would be great to go back over later this year and defend his NZ Cup."
Cruz Bromac ran third for Braun/Grieve in the Victoria Cup and then headed across to NZ for the Addington FFA (third) and the Inter Dominion series (a win, two placings prior to fourth in the final to All Stars' barn stablemate Ultimate Sniper).
Over the years, Christchurch-born Grieve has had stints in NSW with greats in Paul Fitzpatrick and (uncle) Dennis Wilson, while in New Zealand, she worked for two of the best in Tony Herlihy and Cran Dalgety.
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura
P 0498 490 672
W www.newsalertpr.com.au