G'day Punter!

In this Discussion

Who's Online

0 Members & 41 Non Members

Michael Granthams New USA Driving Style

Harness & Greyhounds
I noticed last night at Bunbury ( he might have converted earlier - but i missed the last weeks action with a few Health issues ) but he has converted totally to the American style and with great affect

His drive on Santana Cruiser ( i had something on it ) was an absolute pearler and was never going to lose - also his drive on Gallymont Cohort at 66  to 1 was also brilliant
I cant understand why alot more WA drivers havent adopted this method - 99% of the international drivers use it

I can remember when B Millen had a brief stint driving Sivilichs horses - he drove Onedin Crusader ( i think ) 3rd up at Bunbury - it was paying $48 and i had $50 each way on it - it breezed -  shot to the front at the top of the straight - put 8 metres on them - so whats he do - he sat up on it - it gave up and finished 4th  - if driven the USA style - the horse would have won - the USA style - theres less chance of a horse giving up when hard on the bit

Follow M Grantham - you will win plenty - to use football parlance - he has arrived
+1 -1

VillageKid, Legless likes this post.

Comments

  • Ridersonthestorm33Ridersonthestorm33    10,809 posts
    Gets a tick from me..like both ex jockeys Grantham and Hawkins. They can both drive.

    VillageKid likes this post.

  • SLIPPERGOLDENSLIPPERGOLDEN    7,744 posts
    So what is the USA driving style you are so keen on?
  • HankHank    4 posts
    If you liked those drives of Micky G at Bunbury then have a look at his drive on Famous Caribbean in race 4 at Wagin last Friday.
  • ChariotsonfireChariotsonfire    2,829 posts
    Laying out the back of the cart almost horizontal as they do in the US.

    Supposedly to assist propulsion using the cart in a lifting manner.

    Kyle Harper drove in this manner with moderate success.

    Well suited to front runners but not necessarily those racing in the field and also subject to question that it is within Australian Rules as no part of the body should be outside the confines of the cart.
  • GilgameshGilgamesh    4,719 posts
    I was on Santana Cruiser too and there was one thing I didn't like on the drive, when he grabbed hold and tucked in slightly around the 350m. I know it seems like the right thing to do and many people would disagree with me but on horses of that standard often they struggle to pick back up again after being asked to ease up a bit, the breather isnt actually worth the loss of momentum. Didnt happen in this case thankfully!

    A fair few of the drivers styles have tended to start looking more US style. Guess maybe after the visit of Tim Tetrick where horses seemed to just keep running for him. We have seen quite a bit more up tempo racing of late which is fantastic.
  • thefalconthefalcon    19,949 posts
    Leo Keys use to  be parallel to the ground...with a mini cigar in his gob.

    Gilgamesh likes this post.

  • ChariotsonfireChariotsonfire    2,829 posts

    Leo Keys use to  be parallel to the ground...with a mini cigar in his gob.

    and when he sat up and let them go there was very little there.
  • FastmoneyFastmoney    4,912 posts
    Went alright in the 1st, $50 winner.

    psycho, Ridersonthestorm33 likes this post.

  • fifodynamofifodynamo    243 posts
    Gee whiz , will take note cheers for the heads up
  • petepete    4 posts
    What are people's thoughts on this? Does it work? Or does he just stand out?

  • ChariotsonfireChariotsonfire    2,829 posts
    Definitely better style when leading.

    Got a few held up badly on the pegs on Friday night and would be more difficult to ease out with the long rein style.
  • Ridersonthestorm33Ridersonthestorm33    10,809 posts
    For some reason not rapt in it! Find the style annoying don't know why! However if it works for him and he gets success from it then great. He's a very good driver just the same. The comment above about getting held up on the pegs is interesting. Guess leading is the way to go.
  • TheDivaTheDiva    13,246 posts
    makes sense to me. the more weight you have further back, the more lift you would get on the poles that connect to the horse. dont know how much effect it would have at the end of the day, but you'd think more lift (or less downwards weight) would be an advantage? 

    Ridersonthestorm33, Gilgamesh likes this post.

  • SLIPPERGOLDENSLIPPERGOLDEN    7,744 posts
    edited May 2016
    It looks silly and probably has a minimal effect unlike the craze for lycra jockey silks which appeared to make no difference .
  • Ridersonthestorm33Ridersonthestorm33    10,809 posts
    ^^ The proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
  • SLIPPERGOLDENSLIPPERGOLDEN    7,744 posts
    In this case the proof of the pudding will be in the SEATING. :D

    Ridersonthestorm33 likes this post.

  • Ridersonthestorm33Ridersonthestorm33    10,809 posts
    You missed your calling Slip.

    SLIPPERGOLDEN likes this post.

  • ColourfulRDColourfulRD    480 posts
    edited May 2016
    FRK was constantly in trouble towards the end of his career with the stewards, he would lean right back in the cart just before the line, would get fined but his explanations seemed ok, lean back and the sulky is easier for the horse to get that little bit extra
  • SLIPPERGOLDENSLIPPERGOLDEN    7,744 posts
    The only calling I never missed Rider was (as a kid) my Mum calling me in for my dinner.
  • Ridersonthestorm33Ridersonthestorm33    10,809 posts
    Many are called but few are chosen.

    jum likes this post.

  • Ridersonthestorm33Ridersonthestorm33    10,809 posts
    edited May 2016
    Back to Mark Grantham if I'm on him and he wins its the greatest and smartest driving style I've ever seen...and if he gets rolled then will partly blame the ridiculous style of driving. Not sure if our spiders are as conducive as the American spiders to that way of driving ? But he seems to be comfortable with it and that's what matters. Winners will count too.
  • ChariotsonfireChariotsonfire    2,829 posts

    FRK was constantly in trouble towards the end of his career with the stewards, he would lean right back in the cart just before the line, would get fined but his explanations seemed ok, lean back and the sulky is easier for the horse to get that little bit extra

    The problem with FRK was that as he leant back the whip would almost touch the ground behind him and he would give them a nice tickle up.
  • Ridersonthestorm33Ridersonthestorm33    10,809 posts
    Had my best wins on FRK in finals. Don't know how many times his horse would run 3rd 4th or 5th in a heat quite often as a hot favourite and would go into the final at much better odds and win. Sometimes he would have a couple in the final and invariably they would run well. Don't seem to run heats as much these days coming to think of it. No doubt he was in top 3 drivers I've ever seen.
  • Ridersonthestorm33Ridersonthestorm33    10,809 posts
    At the end of his driving career think he was fuming about the stewards treatment of him in regards to whip use. He had a great action when in full flight down the straight. It was worth seeing. A distinctive style that's for sure. Won a lot of races sitting in the breeze too as did Phil Coulson.
  • JayJayJayJay    7,630 posts
    Fred never lent back to the extent that some of them (Binskin) do now, not even close....the stewards drove him mad about whip use outside the confines of the cart but he wasn't ever a whip user like the ones that everyone objects to. I think Grantham goes okay, better than okay actually but I wouldn't be drawing breath to put him in the same sentence as FRK or Phil. Phil was always crouched low in the cart even when driving in America in their carts and never long reigned. Both won a lot of races from the breeze because they were great conditioners of horses and they could tell you to the second what there horses were running their sectionals in and would control the race from the breeze with their ability to rate horses superbly. Not a fan for what its worth of the layback style but each to their own. The Physics of aerodynamics can provide argument for less wind resistance crouched low or laying back...weight is weight and must be dragged by the horse regardless.

    Ridersonthestorm33 likes this post.

  • thefalconthefalcon    19,949 posts

    just a point I noticed..with the plethora of German,French and Scandinavian harness racing on sky/fox is that they do not use a whip. have a look...

    I assume it is banned?

  • Ridersonthestorm33Ridersonthestorm33    10,809 posts
    edited May 2016
    One thing is certain. Whether rightly or wrongly it will go completely here too. 5 to 10 years would say and will never return. Once it's gone feel future generations will look back and say... I can't believe they use to whip horses. Am pretty sure that will be the attitude...rightly or wrongly. It's the perception that will win out in the long run. Changing times.
  • Ridersonthestorm33Ridersonthestorm33    10,809 posts
    The only thing find unsettling with the whip is when horses are fair dinkum going backwards, out of contention for running top 10 let alone top 4 still being 'smashed' with the whip. Been on quite a few of them too and many times felt like screaming out to the jockey/driver.. 'don't bother it's gone!'The poor bugger of a horse has nothing more to give Freddy the Blind miner can see it and even me with hard earned $ on can see it too.
  • FastmoneyFastmoney    4,912 posts

    just a point I noticed..with the plethora of German,French and Scandinavian harness racing on sky/fox is that they do not use a whip. have a look...

    I assume it is banned?

    Thought the same but they do have whips just don`t seem to use them a lot.

    When you see a close up you can see the whip,

    Ridersonthestorm33 likes this post.

  • FastmoneyFastmoney    4,912 posts
    Mentioned the whip use on the Chatauqua thread.

    10 hits before the 100m mark and have my doubts that he would have  won without it.

    He is being proclaimed as the best in the world yet without the whip may have been an also ran.

    Greyhound racing is being decimated by over regulation, based on trying to satisfy the activist crowd,

    Would hate to see a horse go from champion to just another horse because of the restrictions placed on the use of a padded whip.


    thefalcon, jum, Offthebit, The_Bull likes this post.

Sign In or Register to comment.