The Shawn Grimsey-trained square gaiter Golden Sunset made a welcome return to the winner’s circle last Saturday night at Albion Park.
Faced with a big handicap over the 2138 metre journey, the mare’s good racing manners and a sharp turn of speed helped her find winning form at the right time with the Queensland Constellations ready to start.
Golden Sunset holds a piece of Queensland Inter Dominion history.
Successful in the first heat of ID25, Golden Sunset became the first Queensland-trained runner to ever win a heat of the trotters Inter Dominion.
Unplaced in the second heat and then the decider, the talented mare finished the year with wins in both heat rounds of the Darrell Alexander Trotting Championship and the trotters Christmas Cup.
Competing for a 13th time in 2026 in Saturday’s discretionary handicap, victory had proven elusive this season.
Despite the absence of a win, the efforts have been strong off big handicaps, recording eight minor placings before the breakthrough.
Faced with a 30-metre impost in four appearances this season, wide barriers in mobile start races that the mare has contested have also played a part.
Saturday’s contest was impacted by scratching’s with just five horses taking to the start line.
“It was made easier when the two scratchings came out,” Grimsey said.
“Then Sassy Galleon and Love Gun both galloped and on paper they looked the hardest ones to beat.
“Luck's a fortune and it went our way Saturday night.”
After the errors made by Sassy Galleon and Love Gun, the race was converted into a three-way battle.
Koda Da Moda led, Sheza Chance sat in the trail and Shane Graham sat third in single file order aboard Golden Sunset.
With 500 metres remaining, Graham eased Golden Sunset to the outside and the nine-year-old let down to reel in the leader and then hold off a closing challenge by Sheza Chance.
She secured a 22nd career victory, with 15 of those wins coming for the Grimsey stable. The mare will likely have one more start prior to the opening round heats of the Inters.
“We will just keep her in her routine,” Grimsey said.
“We will nominate for the Redcliffe Cup Saturday week and then two weeks after that the Inters start.”
Currently ranked 10th following the third round of Inter Dominion rankings, making a second successive Final is the main aim for Golden Sunset in 2026.
"Our goal is to make the final. From there, whatever happens, happens," he said.
Grimsey and wife Michelle prepare their small team from Tamborine and will have one runner in each of the pacing and trotting championships.
Dashing will represent the stable in the pacers division, with the talented five-year-old also set to play a significant role in the Redcliffe Cup.
The gelding has not raced from the standing start since February. He won a midweek event from a 20-metre handicap at just his second start for the stable.
Bred and owned by Dianne Kelly from the NSW Riverina, Dashing is a gelded son of mare Frith.
Winning five races from 10 starts since arriving in Queensland, at his last start, the gelding finished fourth behind The Janitor in The Avonnova.
Dashing has been allotted a 10-metre handicap for the Flashing Red this week and will start three-out on the 10-metre line, outside Jimartee and Fernco Nel.
