Sean Grayling is emerging as a pretty serious race driver, and he appears to have a good handle on the art of training a harness horse. He combined both talents to reel off a cracking treble in consecutive races at the Menangle Saturday night meeting on December 3rd - his first three timer at the Sydney metropolitan venue, and the first of his short career.
The initial leg of Sean’s hat trick came in the Gr 3 Teeny Teeny Stakes on Be My Rose, a talented Kiwi mare trained by his boss Paul Fitzpatrick and owned by his former employers Barry and Katrina Purdon. Barry won four races in NZ with the daughter of American Ideal before sending her to the Fitzpatrick yard almost a year ago. The mare’s Teeny Teeny Stakes win was her fifth in Sydney, all on the Menangle circuit.
Grayling’s drive on Be My Rose was a study in tactical aplomb. He didn’t get involved in a brutal first quarter of 25.9 and was able to land one out one back behind Total Diva. There he stayed until well into the homestraight. “I couldn’t believe there was nothing on my outside, and one of my main dangers Little Bliss was stuck behind the leader,” said Sean. “I stayed there as long as I could to keep her pocketed before peeling out. Be My Rose sprinted quickly and won well in a ripping 1.51.8. She’s a lovely mare.”
Be My Rose scored an emphatic win in the Gr.3 Teeny Teeny Stakes from Delightful Angel and Little Bliss - courtesy Club Menangle.
It was trainer/driver Sean Grayling who prevailed in the very next race on the unhoppled veteran Pump The Brakes. The eight year old started favourite at $2.50 on the strength of a luckless fifth a week earlier. It was another copybook drive from Sean as he slotted Pump The Brakes into the 1x1 from a wide draw. The gelding pounced on the lead close to home and scored comfortably from Lochiel. Grayling continues to marvel at the performances of the horse he “claimed” for $6000 at a Bankstown meeting almost four years ago.
Sean was pretty “pumped” by the time he went out to drive $14.00 chance Royal Glenferrie for Paul Fitzpatrick in the Trotter’s Mobile. Extricating from a three pegs tight spot on the turn, he brought the horse with a swooping run to notch his treble. It was Sean’s fifth Menangle win behind the Bettor’s Delight stallion.
Royal Glenferrie wins the Trotters Mobile to give Sean a memorable Menangle treble 03/12/2022 - courtesy Club Menangle.
Grayling is thoroughly convinced he was destined to train Pump the Brakes. He was aware the gelding had been a quarter crack sufferer in the past, but knew that trainer Leon Jurd had him “pretty right” by the time he turned up in a Bankstown claimer in December 2018 with a $6000 price tag. “For those who aren’t aware you’ve got to lodge the money on the day with the stewards in charge of the meeting,” said Sean. “My plan was to get the Commonwealth Bank to remit the money to HRNSW on the morning of the race. The Commonwealth Bank computer was down and it looked as though our claim money wouldn’t be there in time. By a freak of nature everything happened at the last minute. We took Pump The Brakes home after he’d won at Bankstown for Leon Jurd.”
“I was attracted to the horse simply because he was a son of the American stallion Dawn Of A New Day who was also the sire of Senor Macray, one of my favourites at the Fitzpatrick stables. I’d won eight races on Senor Macray before Pump The Brakes came along. I claimed him on sheer sentiment and later got my mother Leanne and aunty Adrienne involved. The horse’s old quarter cracks reappear from time to time, but we’re able to manage him with corrective shoeing.”
Free legged pacer Pump The Brakes scores win number 8 for Sean Grayling - a great return on his $6,000 claiming price - courtesy Club Menangle.
Sean’s father Tony Grayling was his principal tutor and role model as he grew up in Pukekohe near Auckland. Tony was highly regarded as a commercial trainer and horse breaker, best remembered as the trainer of top class pacing mare Armbro Innocence and the talented trotters Boizel and Watch Him Trot. Tony opted for a complete change of direction about eight years ago when offered the role of stud master at the landmark Woodlands Stud at Clevedon.
Sean learned the basics from his father at a very early age, but on leaving school went to work for legendary trainer Barry Purdon with whom he would spend five valuable years. Not only was he given the best of education by the master trainer, but a natural affinity with horses saw him become travelling foreman for the stable. Whenever in Sydney with a Purdon horse he would stay with the Fitzpatricks at Cawdor, not far from the Menangle track. During these stopovers Paul Fitzpatrick was able to assess the talents of young Grayling, and it was no surprise when he extended a job offer to the young Kiwi in 2016.
Sean had driven some twenty five winners in NZ before he got a surprise phone call from Sydney trainer Kevin Pizzuto offering him a full time job. “By this time I’d fallen in love with Sydney racing and with Sydney itself,” said Sean. “I couldn’t get here fast enough to be honest. I spent only six months with Kevin Pizzuto before snapping up the job with the Fitzpatricks. They treat me like one of the family, and I’ve had wonderful support from Paul as far as race drives are concerned. Obviously Gavin and Blake have first call on the stable drives, but he gives me great opportunities whenever they’re unavailable.
Here's Sean with his staunch supporter Paul Fitzpatrick - courtesy Club Menangle.
“Senor Macray and Royal Glenferrie are not the only nice horses I’ve driven for the stable. I won three races on Match In Heaven including the Gr 3 Ilsley FFA. I won four on Pay me Sam including two Saturday night races at Menangle. He beat Cash ‘N’ Flow in one of them. I got to drive Jay OK in two important races in 2021. He had no luck when third to Zeuss Bromac and Stylish Memphis in the Gr 2 Hondo Grattan Stakes, and then Paul left me on him in the Chariots Of Fire. What a thrill it was to go around in such a famous race. They went the first quarter in 25.9 and the first half in 54.8. He finished sixth, beaten seven metres by Expensive Ego in 1.48.9. It was an amazing experience. I was delighted to finally win a race on Jay OK last Saturday night. With Gavin required for Zeuss Bromac in the Inter Dominion Final at Melton, I was lucky enough to get the call.”
Sean got a big kick in the winter of 2018 when Paul gave him the opportunity to drive Lexus With A View in the NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO Colts and Geldings Regional Final at Bathurst. “Blake Fitzpatrick had qualified him in a heat, but had to drive Bracken Sky in the Final,” said Sean. “He actually trained Bracken Sky. Lexus With A View raced one out and two back before storming home to win. It was a great thrill.”
Four nights after his Menangle treble on December 3rd the expat Kiwi horseman was delighted to win the Don Clough Memorial Trot from a stand start at Penrith for trainer Carolyn Vernon. His mount, the veteran mare Universal Pegasus flew the tapes off the front line, while several of her rivals scrambled off the mark. The mare trotted faultlessly in front and kept plugging to the line to win her first race in a whopping sixty starts. Her impeccable manners played a key role in a long overdue win.
Pump The Brakes provided the middle leg of Sean's treble - courtesy Club Menangle.
Paul Fitzparick’s continued support of the twenty six year old is a solid endorsement of the New Zealander’s ability. “He came to me as a pretty seasoned young bloke,” said Paul. “He’d been taught the right way by his father and Barry Purdon. Obviously he’d listened to what they had to say and the result is there for all to see. He’s made the most of every opportunity we’ve been able to give him. He’s good around the horses at home, and very capable in the sulky.”
Sean lives at nearby Bargo with his partner Jodi Sewell and is obviously very settled in the Sydney harness racing environment. Jay OK’s win on Saturday night took him to an impressive career tally of 147 with 56 recorded on the Menangle track. His support from multiple premiership winning trainer Paul Fitzpatrick is complemented by regular freelance drives from outside stables. Young Grayling has the right pedigree, the right background and a cheerful disposition. Most importantly he has a deep passion for the standardbred horse. Sean follows right on Jack Trainor’s heels as a new generation Kiwi to make a name for himself on this side of the ditch.
(Banner image - Trotter Royal Glenferrie was the horse to complete Sean's winning treble at Menangle - courtesy Club Menangle.)