Loucasso gives Grima reason to celebrate

2 November 2026

PAUL COURTS 

YOUNG gun horseman Seaton Grima couldn't help but celebrate his personal milestone in flamboyant fashion at Club Menangle on Saturday night.

With his star pacer Loucasso striding clear of the pack at the top of the home straight, Grima began waving his whip in glory 80 metres from the finish line.

Undefeated from five starts since joining Grima's stable, Loucasso captured a New South Wales Breeders' Challenge Final to provide Grima with his maiden Group One success.

"I'm over the moon...can't put words on it," Grima said. "I did get a bit carried away with the whip celebration, but I was just so rapt.

"That's my first Group One as a trainer or driver and I just wanted to really soak it in.

"To be given the opportunity to train a horse of a lifetime like Loucasso is amazing and I'll be forever grateful."

Eased away from barrier 10, Loucasso was settled two-back in the running line as Berocca Bernie and then Yottie engaged in a battle for the front.

Angled three-wide at the top of the back straight, Loucasso was then surged forward to find the lead.

"I didn't want to be part of the burn out of the gate, so I let him come out comfortably," Grima explained.

"I got into a good spot one-out, two-back, but as soon as we settled, I felt the tempo slow and I wasn't having any of that, so I took off."

With the balance of the 1609-metre trip becoming a procession, the son of Sweet Lou sprinted his way to a four-and-a-half metre win from Alert Bay, with Yottie battling on to be four metres away third.

"As soon as he found the front I knew he had it won," Grima said. "Then at the top of the straight when I pulled the ear plugs he went into another gear and was playing with them up on the line.

"I was confident I had the best horse in the race and I drove him accordingly."
Stopping the clock in 1:48, Loucasso stretched his record to 12 wins and a second from 14 starts for earnings of $535,588.

The performance caused Loucasso to firm to a $2.30 favourite for the TAB Eureka Slot Race, with Grima stating the three-year-old will be kept fresh ahead of the feature at Club Menangle on November 21.

"He won't race again, but I will trial him over 2300 metres next week," Grima said.