Grants Searchin' for Group 1 victory in the Kingston Town Classic

9 min read
Still Searchin’ (Trade Fair {GB}) could have been the pin-up racehorse for her owner-breeders Heather and Robert Grant, had she not been so unlucky. They now look to her progeny with Searchin' Roc's (Awesome Rock) set to shine in Saturday's G1 Kingston Town Classic.

Cover image courtesy of Western Racepix

Fate played its fickle hand with Had Still Searchin’, as the daughter of Trade Fair (GB), who was cremated and buried at Alywn Park Stud after his death in 2018, tragically struck down by injury at her debut after running eighth as a $3.50 second favourite in a Northam 1100 metre maiden on October 4, 2015.

Vets found Still Searchin’ had a crack on her cannon-bone and the Grants chose to retire her rather than run the risk of her breaking down in a race.

“She cracked her cannon-bone that day,” Heather said. “She was that tough she kept on running. The vet advice was to chuck her out for a few years and have another go with her.

“In my mind I thought about what could happen if she broke down and brought down a field or just broke down in a race. We thought no, she should be pulled straight out.

“We knew she had plenty of ability (winning three trials) and decided she was worth breeding from. I just loved Still Searchin’ so much, that I thought I have to do something with you.”

“We knew she (Still Searchin') had plenty of ability (winning three trials) and decided she was worth breeding from." - Heather Grant

That roll of the dice has produced Searchin’ Roc’s, who makes her Group 1 debut in Saturday’s $1 million Kingston Town Classic at Ascot.

Emphatic Railway S. winner Western Empire (NZ) (Iffrraj {GB}) will start at a prohibitive $1.35 – the shortest-priced favourite since Vo Rogue (Ivor Prince {USA}) won the 1988 edition at $1.45.

Owner-breeders Bob and Sandra Peters, trainers Grant and Alana Williams and jockey William Pike are vying for a historic Group 1 treble, after wins in the Railway S. and last Saturday’s Winterbottom S. with Graceful Girl (Nicconi).

Western Empire (NZ) | Image courtesy of Western Racepix

Regal Power (Pierro) gives Peters and the Williamses a strong second string as the $6.50 second-favourite.

Searchin’ Roc’s will be out to be the party-spoiler and with 3-year-olds having won 18 of the past 45 editions bookmakers have her kept safe as a $10 third-favourite.

Trainer David Harrison caused a major boil over, when Blevvo (Blevic) won at $26 odds in the 2002 edition. The $1.80 favourite Hardrada (Marooned {GB}) ran fifth.

Harrison has done a marvellous job to tame Searchin’ Roc’s headstrong ways, transitioning her into the State’s top 3-year-old filly, with her brilliant win in the G3 WA Champion Fillies' three weeks ago.

David Harrison, Heather and Robert Grant | Image courtesy of Western Racepix

The trainer chose to skip the WA Guineas run a week after the Champion Fillies, because of her light frame and aim directly at the final Group 1 on the year.

Regular rider Kyra Yuill has wasted hard to ride the only 3-year-old in the 10-horse field at the bottom weight on 50kg in the weight-for-age feature.

Ounce of luck

Searchin’ Roc’s, whose nickname is Heidi, has earned her place with her maiden stakes win in the Listed Belgravia S. first-up and a second in the Burgess Queen S. She has five wins and a second at her seven starts.

She is Awesome Rock’s sole stakes winner with her triumphs in the Belgravia and Champion Fillies.

Searchin' Roc's | Image courtesy of Western Racepix

Heather said having Searchin’ Roc’s running in a Group 1 was beyond her wildest dreams.

“It took us five and a half years to get a horse to the racetrack and that was Searchin’ Roc’s,” Heather said. “We are pinching ourselves, thinking we must have done something right.

“We are still in disbelief that we have Searchin’ Roc’s running in the Kingston Town. We can’t believe Searchin’ Roc’s is doing all of this.

“We are still in disbelief that we have Searchin’ Roc’s running in the Kingston Town." - Heather Grant

“I get so nervous. I talk to her when she passes me in the parade ring. I go; 'Hi Heidi!' and she looks at me. She is my baby and will stay with us forever.

“I get so nervous before her race and so excited at watching her in a race, that I scare people away. My husband only stands near me because of a feeling of duty.”

Still Searchin’ first foal, a colt by Dick Turpin (Ire), was a head-case and did not make it to the racetrack. Searchin’ Roc’s was her second foal. She lost a foal by Bondi in 2020 and missed the 2019 and 2021 seasons, but is back in foal to Awesome Rock.

Searchin' Roc's winning the Belgravia S. | Image courtesy of Western Racepix

“Still Searchin’ is home now and doing well,” Heather said. “We’ll probably send her away to have her foal.

"I liked Awesome Rock as a potential stallion. He was well bred and had a good race record. The other half comes from the dam. You are not going to produce anything if the dam can’t run.

“I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been involved in racing and know you need that ounce of luck.”

Live to work

The Grants swapped a suburban life for a horse life several years ago, now running 30.7-hectare property at Hopeland.

The property was previously known as Kintore Stud, when owned by the late Allan Young, who had Searchin’ Roc’s grandam Search Me (Verglas {Ire}).

The Grants leased Still Searchin’ first and then bought her outright from Young.

“My husband and I do all of the work,” Heather said. “My husband is nearly 80 and I’m in my 70s.

Heather and Robert Grant | Image courtesy of Western Racepix

“The property was vacant for a few years and we have brought it up to scratch, building fences, stables, a work track, installing a walker, have irrigation and are in the process of building a barn.”

Former trainer Sharon Taylor is Grant’s daughter.

“Sharon works in Perth running a couple of practises for psychologists,” Heather said. “She has been coming back to the races because of Searchin’ Roc’s and is getting the bug again.”

The Grants have former sprinter Centrum (Danetime) as a nanny and two other broodmares Joyous Affair (Trade Fair {GB}) and Just Like Crystal (Dick Turpin {Ire}).

“I breed all of these horses and I can’t part with them,” Heather said. “I have given thought that if Still Searchin’ threw a colt, we would probably take him to sale.

“I have given thought that if Still Searchin’ threw a colt, we would probably take him to sale." - Heather Grant

“I have another two colts in the paddock at the moment.

“I love what I do here, but I don’t want to race too many horses.

“Originally we were going to retire in Mandurah, but my husband said to me; “Why don’t we shift to here?”

Heather Grant | Image courtesy of Western Racepix

“We were driving here every day to work anyhow. My husband is an absolute workaholic and he was bored in Mandurah.

“We work every day and we love it. All of our horses are quiet and happy.

“We thought Searchin’ Roc’s might win a race or two, but we never dreamt she would get this far. She loves running and she has had her runs spaced. She didn’t get a big break between winter and spring and I think she will go for a good spell after Saturday.”

Awesome Rock's fate

Awesome Rock could have been at stud in the Hunter Valley or Nagambie region had fortune gone his way.

The 10-year-old stallion was first past the post in the 2016 Australian Cup, but lost the Group 1 weight-for-age in the stewards’ room.

Jockey Hugh Bowman on the runner-up Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) alleged interference from the 400 metres until the winning post, with stewards finding Awesome Rock had shifted out between the 300 metres to the 200 metres, when not clear of Preferment and because of the short half-head margin upheld Bowman’s protest.

Awesome Rock | Standing at Gold Front Stud

Awesome Rock did land a coveted Group 1 eight months later, when he beat dead-heaters Hauraki (Reset) and Seaburge (Sebring) in the Mackinnon S. over the same course and distance of the Australian Cup.

The stallion ran fifth to Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) in the Cox Plate at his penultimate spring start and won the G2 Feehan S. second-up at Moonee Valley on September 3 in the same campaign.

Western Australian breeders Alan and Sue Olive kept a share in Awesome Rock, when he was sold for $575,000 as a yearling at the Magic Millions Gold Coast sale.

The Olives chose Awesome Rock to be their foundation sire at their Gold Front Stud, south of Gingin, because they saw a void in the Western Australian market for a middle-distance stallion. He stands at Gold Front for a fee of $5000 (inc GST).

Sue and Alan Olive | Image courtesy of TBWA

Long-time breeder Graham Dawes sold Kingston Town chance Kissonallforcheeks (Written Tycoon) for $120,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast sale.

Trainer Dan Morton decided to run Kissonallforcheeks in the Kingston Town, because of coercing from leading jockey Chris Parnham and not run in the G3 Scahill S. (1400 metres).

Kissonallforcheeks emulated her dam Rosie Rocket (Blackfriars), finishing third to Mr Moet (Mosayter {USA}) in the 2012 Railway S., when she filled the minor end of the trifecta behind Comfort me (Playing God) and Western Empire a fortnight ago.

Kissonallforcheeks after winning the G3 R.J. Peters S. | Image courtesy of Western Racepix

Dawes purchased Rosie Rocket for $100,000 following her brilliant career, claiming nine wins – including the Listed Starstruck and La Trice classics – and nine placings from 34 starts.

“It was early days for Written Tycoon (Kissonallforcheeks) then and we were happy with her price,” Dawes said. “I knew because we had paid up for the Westspeed Bonus Scheme she might end up in Western Australia.

“I was happy that Dan (Morton) ended up with her.

"Rosie Rocket is one of a small band of decent mares I keep in the East now.”

Kissonallforcheeks as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions

Rosie Rocket has a colt by Russian Revolution (Snitzel) to go to sale next year and a filly foal at foot by All Too Hard (Casino Prince).

She has produced three foals to race in Prince Of Mars (Testa Rossa), Kissonallforcheeks and Star Of Rosie (Star Witness). Kissonallforcheeks has won eight times and Star Of Rosie once.

Dawes kept Star Of Rosie when she failed to reach her reserve at the Perth Magic Millions Yearling sale and races her with leading trainer Adam Durrant. She claimed her debut win over 1100 metres at York last month.

“Adam liked her and was prepared to give her a chance so we are racing her together,” Dawes said.

“Dawson Stud has 17 yearlings to go to sale in Perth next year – 10 of those are ours.”

Searchin' Roc's
Still Searchin'
Kingston Town Classic
Awesome Rock
Heather and Robert Grant
Western Empire