Harness Racing: Freddie's Delight breaks his maiden status

Grima is a part owner of the Bettors Delight-Peggyart five-year-old gelding, who with Grima in the spider, rocketed home to pick up his first career win at race start 13.

"He has had a few leg issues along the way," said Grima of Freddie's Delight who he races along with his younger brother Paul and an old school mate in Paul Shanahan.

READ ALSO:

"We did think he would win a race soon.

"And he was entitled to."

Freddie's Delight worked his way into the winner's circle after his previous two starts resulted in two minor placings.

In producing a four-wide run around the field from the 300-metre mark the gelding powered home for a 3.7 metre win over stablemate La Sharky, driven by Paul Grima, giving the stable a training quinella.

"It was good to quinella the race, can't do any better than that," Michael added.

"He had to come from a fair way back in the field (Freddie's Delight raced four back on the outside running line after commencing from the 10 barrier)."

The Jake Mitchell-trained and Brad Elder-driven Ghostly Courage finished a further 1.9 metres away third.

Heading into the race Michael Grima knew his two pacers would perform well.

"There hasn't been much between the two horses at home in track work so we thought we had a chance in the race with both horses," he said.

"Freddie's Delight gained all the right runs in the race and La Sharky had a softer run."

Paul Grima, who commenced from the two barrier with La Sharky raced three back on the inside running line before finding a split on the final turn to race home down the home straight.

"Paul was pretty happy with his horse's (La Sharky) run as well," Grima added with the trio also owning and racing La Sharky - a Four Starzzz Shark- Big Breakdown filly, who was having her second race start.

"It was a good way to start the year off."

Grima has shown some commitment to Freddie's Delight with the gelding having his first race start back in April 2018 before heading to the paddock and then returning to the paceway two years on in June 2020.

Training horses is a hobby for the brothers, who train on their Bergman's Lane property with plenty of help from family and carry on the family involvement in harness racing they learnt from their late father Billy Grima.

"It is a hobby for us, " Michael, who currently has four horses in work said.

"It's in the family and we have been in the sport for a long time now."

The Grima family have been involved in harness racing in the north west for many years with the brothers also having the assistance of their sister Joyce around the stables who is the current Deputy Chair of the Tamworth Harness Racing Club.