Rising New South Wales harness racing trainer Seaton Grima is set to target Victoria’s time-honoured Group 1 Benstud Queen Of The Pacific with My Moonlite Dream.
Grima, 21, picked up the five-year-old mare from fellow NSW trainer, Jack Trainor.
“She had her first start up in Queensland for me and she won her first few (races) around Albion Park. She rose up in grade pretty quickly,” trainer-driver Grima said.
“She was in the Group 1 Golden Girl – she ran eighth, but she didn’t disgrace herself. Ever since she has come back to Sydney, she has gone to another level.”
The mare out of Miss Moonlite has continued to race against top-class mares in New South Wales.
“She got beaten by half-a-head to Major Delight, but she is Major Delight who is 22 (wins) from 28 (races). I wasn’t disgraced by that performance.
“In her six or seven starts at Menangle, she hasn’t finished worse than third on a Saturday night,” he said.
My Moonlite Dream will have one more run at Menangle before a trip to Melton Entertainment Park.
“I will miss this week and give her a run next week in the Frith Stakes, then bring her down for the Queen Of The Pacific,” he said.
“I think the 2700m will suit her… it is a hard race to win, but I think she should be thereabouts.”
Grima is also eyeing off another of Victoria’s Group 1 classics.
“I have a three-year-old I might put in the Derby, Sweet Lovin. In his first start for me he won up at Newcastle,” Grima said.
“I have a very high opinion of him. If he can gain a start over the long trip and if we can tuck him away, he should be there at the end.”
Grima has had 64 winners since his training career began in 2023, including 51 this season.
The Queen Of The Pacific is set for October 12 and is one of six Group 1 contests on the Sportsbet Victoria Cup card.
by Lachlan Mitchell, for Harness Racing Victoria