The John Sargent-trained Perfect Justice has been runner-up as favourite in successive races but was backed into favouritism again at $4.20 and duly delivered when he ran down The Mona Lisa in the Midway Handicap (1600m).
This was Grima’s 31st metropolitan win for the 2025/26 season and broke the deadlock with defending champ Braith Nock (30 wins) as the star young riders duel for the Sydney apprentices premiership.
With five metropolitan meetings remains this season, Grima is in the box seat to become only the fourth female apprentices after Rachel King (2017/18), Winona Costin (2014-15) and Kathy O’Hara (2004-05) to win the coveted title.
“It’s good to be in front in the premiership but there’s still a lot of work to do,” Grima said.
“I was confident during the race on Perfect Justice because even though we were three-wide with cover, he was handling the conditions and I thought we were in the better going.
“When The Mona Lisa kicked, for a couple of strides I was a bit worried but the blinkers helped and he really attacked the line today.”
Perfect Justice finished strongly to run down The Mona Lisa ($7)and win by a long neck, reversing the placings from their previous clash in a Randwick Midway two weeks ago. They gapped the rest of the field with more than five lengths to Murphilly ($6.50).
Trainer John Sargent was relieved Perfect Justice finally broke through after a couple of near misses this campaign.
“I know he was becoming a little costly for punters when he was beaten as favourite two races in a row but I hope they stuck with him today and got their money back,” Sargent said.
“The bIinkers kept him focussed and he really wanted to chase after The Mona Lisa today.
“I was actually looking for a 2000m race for him but decided to give him another run at the 1600m because the heavy track would make it a bit more of a test.
“We will keep him going for now, he’s racing well and handles the wet tracks so it’s the right time of year to have him in work. I’ll see if we can step him up in trip next start.”
Earlier, Alysha Collett produced a tactical masterpiece on the Cameron Crockett-trained Leovanni to win the TAB Highway Plate (1600m).
Collett had Leovanni ($20) stalking hot favourite Moon Sweeper ($1.50) through the race and peeled off the grey’s back in the straight to finish too strongly and score by a half length with Red Rags To Bulls ($9.50) just over two lengths away third.
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“I wanted to have my mare in a position to follow Moon Sweeper through the race,” Collett said.
“Moon Sweeper got to the front but I could sense he was ‘loafing’ just a little. My mare dug deep but it was only in the last 50m or so I was confident she was going to get there.”
