Reluctant Queensland trainer nabs breakthrough victory

By Jordan Gerrans

An initially reluctant Queensland horse trainer has landed his maiden victory aided by a close team of mates from around his stable.

The Torbanlea-based Grant Parker has only ever had a small team of gallopers in work, starting his first horse in a race way back in June of 2010 when Obi Park Princesse went to Gympie.

After more than a decade of aiming to break through for his first winner as a conditioner, the 62-year-old did not lose faith in the process and keep tickling along with his couple of race horses.

Parker and his trusty off-sider Steven Pershouse were finally rewarded for their 14 years or so of blood, sweat and tears – which included more than 40 race day starters - when Boitumelo landed her maiden victory at Nanango earlier this month.

While the Parker victory was well-deserved, Boitumelo was a 27-start maiden galloper before leading all the way on the grass of Nanango over 1000 metres.

“It has been a long time coming for me and for her as well, I suppose” the trainer said with a laugh.

“We thought she was a big chance of winning that day at Nanango.

“I have had other horses over the years that had the ability to be winning races but they just had issues and different things.

“Boitumelo is probably the best winning prospect I have ever had after we worked out she had a bit of ability.”

Parker calls Torbanlea home in the Sunshine State these days but he initially took his first steps in racing in Sydney.

He owned a few gallopers with Group 1-winning trainer Bruce Cross.

Cross tasted the ultimate success as a conditioner when Final Fantasy claimed the Epsom Handicap back in September of 2001.

Parker dabbled in a bit of pre-training with the gallopers he owned before they eventually landed at Cross’ Warwick Farm stables.

When Parker was relocating back to Queensland, it was the veteran Sydney racing identity who pushed him towards training in his own right.

“I used to send all my horses to Bruce and we used to muck around with them,” he said.

“Bruce was the one who told me I needed to go and get my trainers’ licence. I told him that I did not want to do it but he told me that I needed to.

“We went and bought a few horses, between me and a few mates, and it went from there.”

While Parker has been licensed for almost 15 years, he admits he is a hesitant trainer and would not be able to do it without the help of Steven Pershouse, who is a part-owner of Boitumelo.

Kevin Pershouse is also a part-owner in the galloper.

“I like the training side of things, I just do not like going race day and worrying all the time about making sure everything is right,” an honest Parker said.

Steven Pershouse has a stable hand licence and will organise track work and feed for their small team of horses when Parker is occupied with his day job.

He will also often take her to the races as Parker loves the training of a horse during the week but he is keen to avoid the pressure that comes with race day.

After landing her maiden victory at Nanango earlier this month, Boitumelo has gone on to run second in a Class 1 Handicap at Thangool over 1200 metres since. 

“She is a good little mare and is only tiny,” Steven Pershouse said.

“Her lead-up runs to her win were good at places like Gatton, the Sunshine Coast and Dalby.

“She does not like the sound much so we need to put the miles in her to find races. Her run at Thangool after the win was pretty outstanding as well.”

The brown mare will go searching for her second career victory at Eidsvold early next month in a Class B Handicap.

The Parker and Pershouse team purchased the sprinter from Gympie trainer Trevor Thomas for a nominal price.

Parker and Thomas have become close mates in recent years.

“I think the change of environment has really helped her as I train her out of a paddock,” Parker said.

“She seems a lot happier – we just try and keep her happy and healthy – it seems to work for her.

“She always had the ability but we dropped all the gear off her, which she did not seem to like and wouldn’t perform when it was on.

“The main thing for her is that she is now out of the stable and into the paddock, it has helped her along a lot. She has never been happier.”

Emerging apprentice Claire Ramsbotham has ridden Boitumelo in her last two starts and was praised for her efforts by the mare’s training team.

“Claire had a plan before even getting to the races,” Steven Pershouse said.

“She has ridden the horse well on both occasions.”