Episode 395: Grant Williams

It was around 2008 when Grant Williams started to tinker with the odd thoroughbred. Prior to that he’d enjoyed a distinguished 20 year career in harness racing as a trainer and driver. His association with leviathan owner/breeder Bob Peters began in 2012. When that partnership terminated early this year, they’d shared success in 15 Gr 1’s and countless stakes races. Grant begins by talking about the end of his association with the huge Bob Peters operation. When Bob first offered Grant some horses to train, he thought someone was having a joke with him. Grant explains that he had other loyal owners to consider at the time of the surprise offer. He says that his principal owner had a major contribution to the programming of his horses. Grant pays tribute to his remarkable wife Alana, who as Alana Sansom attained dizzy heights as a jockey in WA. He says Alana continues to ride much of the stable trackwork, and insists on having input where quirky horses are concerned. Grant talks of the communication between he and his wife regarding horses in the stable. The trainer looks back on the trying four months when pandemic regulations kept them apart for four long months. He was campaigning horses in Melbourne. Alana was ‘holding the fort” in WA. He delights in talking about daughter Tahni who not surprisingly has an inborn affinity with horses. Grant acknowledges his favourites among the cavalcade of talented horses to carry the Bob Peters colours. The dual code trainer describes the facilities available at his Karnup operation, and the positives about the nearby Lark Hill training facility. Grant talks of his friendship and fabulously successful professional association with champion jockey Willie Pike. He pays tribute to a couple of riders who filled the void while Willie was campaigning in the east this year. Grant reflects on twenty happy years in harness racing, much of it under the tutelage of his trainer/dad Ray. He talks of Ray’s involvement in a number of his gallopers. Grant looks back on his high points in harness racing and pays tribute to a couple of his best pacers. He admits he’s expecting a loss of momentum before his stable is up and running again. Grant tries to forecast his likely future in the WA training ranks.