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By Tony Megahey

What are the chances that a USA import, discarded by Team Hawkes and the Waller stable as a perennial maiden, finally presenting at Royal Randwick on Saturday as a dual winner in a TAB Highway support to a compelling Group raceday?

The accomplished husband and wife team of Donna and Jon Grisedale combine with five-year-old gelding Byakko ($19 on TAB), into the TAB $120,000, Class 3, 1800m episode with 55kg.

Byakko (Mitchell Bell) does his preliminary at Newcastle when prepared in the city. Image by Bradley Photographers

“We don’t come to town for the fun of it anymore, so hard to win a race; this gelding has the ability but so nervy and highly strung and it’s a long trip,” explained Coffs Harbour-based.

Donna, a decade long stable foreperson for the late great and reclusive Jack Denham, added: “We’re bringing him with a travelling companion and Jon is on because he rides all his work and understands him.

“He’s been late to adapt with the change of hemispheres and is still excitable.

“But lightly raced and has upside, really strong wins and just starting to show his ability.

“Late starter - he didn’t come from the US until he was over four years.

“But he’s a developing stayer and we won’t see the best of him until he gets out to 2400m.

“That why he gets back so far and he’ll probably be last on Saturday.

“Barriers are not an issue, you won’t see him until late,” said Donna, the former carer of champion Might and Power.

The Grisedales have had the odd Highway placegetter in recent seasons but they're yet to win an episode.

Meanwhile, Byakko showed little early with the elite stables. And they haven’t the time or space to persevere with anything initially not hinting city grade in trials or initial races.

That was obvious in early short course trials when Byakko tailed out: “His best run before we got him was second at 1900m on heavy at Newcastle.

“With more racing and maturity, he’ll make a nice stayer. That’s what we thought when we bought him off Chris Waller interests.

“I know Chris from way back when he was starting out. But that didn’t come into it; we researched and bought him. But it’s been difficult to find suitable races in his distance range at the regionals.”

So, after the Grafton double at 1600m and 1700m, the progression to town at 1800m was the Grisedale’s best option. They expertly primed the five-year-old to win twice first-up.

And the spacious Randwick track will suit at long odds if he’s up to better grade..

Byakko, a Kitten’s Joy (USA), Lone Tigress (USA) protégé won a Grafton 1600m maiden in July a month after departing the Waller stables. And again from last , at 1700m resuming from a four-month spell last month.

The Grisedales relocated from Kembla to Coffs a decade ago where they are settled and happy winning regional races. Their passions and memories are as acute as ever and Jon is still motivated to ride rising 60 years.

“He is - fit, injury free and keen as ever, and I’ve seen and been on the back of some of the best ever, Might and Power.

“And I know we won’t win a major race regional race again with a small team. The strongest Sydney stables go to the regionals now, just so many horses and have to find a run somewhere.

“At this stage of our careers Jon and I are happy with country graders and on a lovely property backing on to the beach.

“We love it but importantly so do the horses. Only problem is plenty of snakes but we learn to live with them,” she chuckled.”

View final fields with full form & race replays for Royal Randwick here