From cabinet maker to Eureka favourite: the rise of Seaton Grima

A few years ago, Seaton Grima walked away from harness racing to finish an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker. Now the young NSW horseman trains and drives the favourite for the $1.5 million TAB Eureka.

Grima, who was 23 when Loucasso arrived in his stable this winter, has guided the colt to three wins from three starts this season at Menangle, each in under 1:50, and on Wednesday to an untroubled 16.8-metre trial win over fellow slot runner Double Lou.

Loucasso is the confirmed runner for slot holder Rampant Standardbreds and the $2.40 TAB favourite for the race at Menangle on November 21.

Grima has described being handed the colt as by far the greatest opportunity he has had in the sport.

“I had to pinch myself when they asked me to train him, I’ll be honest,” Grima said.

His path to this point has been anything but conventional. Grima took out his driver’s licence at 18, using a retired horse called All About Art, borrowed from Newcastle trainer Nathan Flaherty, to get the trial drives he needed. He drove his first winner behind the same horse at Penrith in October 2019.

He then stepped away from the sport to finish his apprenticeship and set up a kitchen-making business, before the pull of the stables brought him back. His first Group win as a driver came with Loyalist in a Group 2 in June 2023, and by August this year he had trained 200 winners and driven 288.

Loucasso arrived with plenty of history and plenty of questions. The Sweet Lou colt won the Group 1 Protostar and the Group 2 Breeders Crown 2YO Final for Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin last season, then had a brief stint with Luke McCarthy before part-owner Aaron Bain and his co-owners sent him to Grima, along with the talented but injury-plagued filly Miss Australiana.

Grima was well aware of the speculation around Loucasso’s injuries, and took his time. The colt trialled at Newcastle in August, winning by 40.7 metres, and Grima was happy with what he saw.

“He did it comfortably and showed he’s where I thought he was,” Grima said.

Since then the colt has won all three race starts, the latest a round one heat of the NSW Breeders Challenge on September 29. Connections bypassed the Victoria Derby to concentrate on the Breeders Challenge and the Eureka, and last Saturday Grima crossed to Globe Derby to drive Reach The Peak for Bain in the inaugural $100,000 The Radiant.

The weekend shows how far the stable has come. Grima drives Miss Australiana from barrier one at Newcastle on Friday night, and on Saturday he has two runners in the Listed Les Chant Free For All at Menangle, driving Heza Punk Rocker himself while Chris Geary partners Saint Crusader. At Globe Derby, Wayne Hill drives his Springfield Affair in a heat of the SA Pacing Cup.

Grima has said the rest of the NSW Breeders Challenge comes next for Loucasso. The 3YO semi-finals are at Menangle on October 24, with the final a week later.

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by Harnesslink Media