The career of the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Grand Impact has had many twists and turns in his brief career of the racetrack.
The now five-year-old returns for his latest campaign as a gelding and has been dispatched to Adelaide looking for a win in the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
The race forms a part of the Gytrash Sprints Series which will be one of the main attractions on ‘Finals Day’ at Morphettville on November 23.
Grand Impact looked to be one of Melbourne’s better three-year-olds after he won his first three starts, including the Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in October 2022.
That win led to the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day where the colt finished 12th behind In Secret.
Preparing for a return the following autumn, Grand Impact was continually going sore and eventually a condition called osteochondritis dissecans, where a lesion of cartilage flakes off from the shoulder, was diagnosed.
That resulted in Grand Impact having 16 months away from racing before returning in a benchmark 84 race at Moonee Valley in March.
After another two runs, at Mornington and Newcastle, the decision was made to geld Grand Impact which Kent Jnr said had resulted in a more athletic horse that is set to make his latest return, having been scratched from Geelong on Wednesday due to a wide draw.
“We have had to be patient with him and so have the owners, but he’s been gelded between preparations and he’s much better for it,” Kent Jnr said.
“He’s so much more athletic as he was always a slobby type of colt at home.
“Whilst he’s brilliant out of the gates he was always getting heavier and heavier, and whilst he’s the soundest he’s ever been, he’s also nice and athletic.”
While Kent Jnr says Grand Impact looks in great shape, he does worry the lack of recent racing may tell at the business end.
“It would be no surprise to see him win on class, as he’s very well placed and has drawn a good gate,” Kent Jnr said.
“He’s the best horse in the race, it’s just a matter over the last 100 metres of how much he’s got left in the tank.”
Manoel Nunes, who has relocated to Adelaide following the closure of racing in Singapore, has been booked for the ride on Grand Impact.