"This is my Cup" - Jason Grimson on the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup

By Adam Hamilton 

Jason Grimson isn’t short of confidence ahead of his IRT NZ Cup defence with Swayzee.

Speaking on Melbourne radio SEN Track, the Menangle trainer said: “This is my Cup and I’m coming to get it again.”

Grimson’s bullishness grew after Swayzee came through a seven-hour return trip to win the Cherry City Cup at Young on Friday.

Today he boards a flight from Sydney to Auckland then a connector down to Christchurch.

When he tackles Tuesday’s $1 million Cup, it will be less than four days since he won at Young,

Grimson revealed a stunning Menangle workout following Swayzee’s powerhouse October 12 Victoria Cup win spurred his shock decision to pay Swayzee’s $28,000 late entry fee, having previously ruled out returning this year.

“His work after the Victoria Cup was better than before it,” he said. “I brought him out and worked him last Monday and he felt awesome.

“He worked like a superstar and that’s what made me (late) nominate him.”

Fellow Menangle trainer Jarrod Alchin backed-up Grimson’s opinion of the workout.

“I happened to watch him fast-work that morning, it’s the best I’ve ever seen him. He looked like an absolute beast,” he said.

As the TAB betting markets suggest, Grimson pinpointed Merlin and Dont Stop Dreaming as the two major rivals.

“Those two Purdon runners are the ones. They’re both great trainers and they know how to prepare (NZ) Cup winners. We’ve got to be careful of them,” he said.

“They’re over there and settled in with a home ground advantage, but hopefully we can take that off them.”