I was surprised the first time a polite teenager insisted on helping me unharness one of my horses at a Penrith meeting in 2014. Sixteen year old Grant Ellul was equally insistent that he should hose and scrape the horse, dry him off thoroughly and then take him for a walk around the stabling area. That kind of help on a busy race night, is appreciated by any trainer.
Grant continued to assist on a regular basis at the Thursday night Penrith meetings. We learned that his father Allan and uncle Simon Ellul were registered trainers in the district, and that young Grant was focused on gaining his race driving “ticket”. At that time he still had some way to go before completing his mandatory twenty trial drives, but it was obvious he knew his way around horses.
As an acknowledgment of his continued support I was more than happy to supply some trial drives over the next couple of months. At the same time he was a regular competitor in “maxi trotting” - an initiative created by Harness Racing NSW as a natural progression from the popular “mini trots”. Young hopefuls were required to supply and train their own horses for the regular events staged at metropolitan and provincial tracks. Some were able to borrow family horses, while others searched for outside horses whose careers were in the balance. Grant won several of the maxi trot events before the concept fizzled out. “I think the expense of feeding and accommodating these horses became too much for most families,” said Grant. “There was no prize money to be won. We got nothing more than a trophy or a sash and a lot of satisfaction.”
Speaking of satisfaction he was thrilled beyond description to break the duck - courtesy Club Menangle.
I was hoping to be able to supply Grant’s first mount as a registered driver, but his uncle Simon beat me to the punch. The youngster made his debut on Simon’s mare Early Exit, finishing fourth in the opening race at a Bankstown meeting on February 5th, 2015. Coincidentally his first drive for my stable resulted in a fourth on Dunvegan Road on the very same day.
A few weeks later it was Dunvegan Road who went within a head of giving young Ellul his first win when narrowly beaten by the Paul Fitzpatrick trained My Sweet Pawsha at Penrith. The young driver was improving rapidly and his first win looked imminent, but harness racing wasn’t at the top of his list of priorities. His dad Allan had been firm in his belief that Grant should learn a trade before becoming too involved in harness racing.
Around this time a cabinet making apprenticeship became available at the long established Castlewood Kitchens’ Minchinbury headquarters. Grant gained the indentureship and quickly immersed himself in his new life. He continued to drive the odd horse for family and friends, but harness racing became a hobby more than a professional pursuit. He’s had a “stop start” involvement over the last five or six years - a flurry of drives over a period of months would be followed by lengthy absences.
Imagine Grant’s surprise on Tuesday May 10th when he learned he’d driven his first winner at his 116th race drive - a statistic that left him stunned. He was thrilled to win a non rated race on a three year old gelding called Bartello, a homebred raced by family and friends and well prepared by his father Allan. “I’d been in and out of the cart for seven years having a drive here and a drive there,” said Ellul. “You just don’t realise how they add up. I really only became involved again because this horse is out of Early Exit and was reared on a property owned by my grandparents Charlie and Carmen at Llandilo. There’s a bit of sentiment involved.”
Bartello forges clear to best Rocknreturn and Lady Delight - courtesy Club Menangle.
Grant had driven the slow maturing son of Mr Feelgood in three trials - the first at Penrith last September and the others recently at Menangle. “He’s always shown some ability but is very unsure of himself and to win first up is a real bonus,” said Grant. “He won’t be winning any Miracle Miles but he’ll always be a special horse to me.”
For a bloke whose race drives are very sporadic, twenty four year old Grant Ellul did a sterling job against some of Sydney’s best reinsmen in the Menangle race. He allowed Bartello to amble out of gate three after the gelding had been fractious in the score up, and landed one out and one back behind Kenny Said. He remained composed when Captain Braveheart swept around to the death seat, putting him one spot further back. Grant delayed pulling out as long as possible, but was forced to go when Kenny Said started to struggle in front of him at the 400m mark.
When Bartello tried to accelerate he put in a few uncertain steps, but again Grant’s composure was evident. He steadied his mount around the turn and didn’t ask him for more until well in the straight. Despite a tendency to lay in most of the way down the straight, Bartello reached the lead close to home before forging away to beat Rocknreturn (Jack Trainor) by more than five metres. “It’s a good thing I know him so well, because he did a few things wrong,” said Grant. “He was trying to go too fast when I pulled him out and got very rough for a few strides. He didn’t know where he was in the straight and was running on instinct. He’s got a lot to learn.”
Grant does his best to look serious after the race. He was inwardly chuffed - courtesy Club Menangle.
Despite the euphoria of his maiden win, harness racing will remain Grant’s second job. In fact he only recently made the decision to go solo as a cabinet maker with the blessing of his long time employer Castlewood Kitchens. “After nine years in the factory I felt it was time to give it a go off my own bat,” he said. “Castlewood have agreed to send some work my way and have left the door open should I ever need to return.”
At 24 Grant now enjoys the best of both worlds. Nine years of training in custom kitchen design has prepared him for a serious shot at establishing his own business. He’s working from his grandparents’ garage at Llandilo. He only has to walk a few steps to the yard occupied by Bartello - the most important horse in his life so far.
Grant at work in his cabinet making business.
Although a win had eluded Grant for the unlikely period of seven years he hasn’t wasted his time around harness horses. His heady drive on Bartello was the work of a man who understands horses and the mechanics of a harness race. If you don’t require his services as a freelance driver, you could at least keep him in mind for the home renovations you’ve had in mind. This young bloke could whip you up a set of kitchen cupboards or a bathroom vanity while you’re thinking about it.
Grant is flanked by his father Allan and grandfather Charlie. Family friend John Micallef is on left of photo - courtesy Club Menangle.
(Banner image - The grin says it all! Grant senses victory as Bartello hits the front at Menangle 10/05/2022 - courtesy Club Menangle.)