Michael Grantham credits much of Comes A Time’s racing education to Justin Warwick and says acquiring the son of Sessions has been a welcome addition to his stable.
Comes A Time transferred to Grantham’s team after Warwick relinquished his trainer’s license last season and the gelding has come along in leaps and bounds.
After winning three races for Warwick Comes A Time has finished top two at all eight starts for Grantham including three weeks ago at Belmont over 1000m.
Racing first-up for the preparation and under 60.5kg on a soft 7 track, Comes A Time bolstered Kalgoorlie ambitions with a solid victory over Spirited Session.
“He has come a long way since the first time I got him,” Grantham told The Races WA.
“Even when Justin had him he was always improving all the time.
“Really I got the good end of the deal after Justin’s early work.
“He’s a lot more mature and even this time when he came back to the stable he just stepped straight into it.
“Nothing fazed him what’s so ever and at the moment he is pretty chilled out and relaxed.”
Comes A Time is favourite to extend his consistent form in Saturday’s Jolly Beggar Stakes (1000m) at Belmont.
He’s drawn perfectly in barrier three and Clint Johnston-Porter keeps the ride on the six-year-old.
Comes A Time is currently $3 with Tabtouch, ahead of Nowhiteflag $4.20, Spin The Knife $6 and stable mate Son Of God $8.
Grantham expects him to run well again.
“I was rapt with how he went first up and he recovered well,” Grantham said.
“It took a little bit of sting out of him, but he pulled up great in the stalls and was happy in the next couple of days.
“He doesn’t really put them away as we know, but it was great performance.”
Grantham said the Jolly Beggar Stakes will determine short term plans for Comes A Time.
A crack at the Hannans Handicap (1400m) in Kalgoorlie looms as a likely option.
“The plan is to race Saturday and two weeks into the Nicopolis,” Grantham said.
“Then into the Hannans, but we’ll just see how the track is there.
“I don’t want to ruin him on a hard track.
“We’ll probably put him away for something at the Ascot carnival.
“But the plan has been to go to Kalgoorlie.”
Grantham unveils Son Of A God for his stable debut in the Jolly Beggar Stakes.
The Playing God gelding won a recent warm up trial and took out the Listed Grandstand Cup (1500m) for trainer Simon Miller in March.
“He trialed well and I would love to see him do it race day,” Grantham said.
“But the further he goes this campaign the better he will get.”
Son Of God has to lump 60kg topweight in his return.
From barrier nine, the widest gate, he’ll be ridden by Brad Parnham.
