Hondo Grattan

Hondo Grattan

Adios (USA), the grandsire of Hondo Grattan.
Breed	Standardbred
Sire	Hondo Hanover
Grandsire	Adios
Dam	Lola Grattan
Maternal grandsire	Loreto
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1 September 1968
Country	Australia
Colour	Brown
Breeder	B & R Webb
Owner	Bill and Bob Webb
Trainer	A.D. "Tony" Turnbull
Record
116: 58-16-17
Earnings
A$215,402
Major wins
1971 NSW Sires Produce 1973 Lord Mayor's Cup 1973, 1974 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship 1974 Miracle Mile Pace 1975 Lord Mayor’s Cup
Awards
1973 & 1974 NSW Harness Horse of the Year
Honours
Best mile rate, 1:59 Raced 1971-1976
Last updated on: 22 August 2011.

Hondo Grattan was a Standardbred pacer from Bathurst, New South Wales known as the "Bathurst Bulldog". He won the Inter Dominion Pacing Championship in both 1973 and 1974, becoming the first horse to successfully defend an Inter Dominion title. Hondo Grattan was the first horse in Australia to win (AUD)$200,000 and also the first horse to win 21 races at Harold Park Paceway. He was a winner at a time of top competition, that included horses such as Pure Steel and Paleface Adios.

Throughout his career Hondo Grattan was trained by A.D. "Tony" Turnbull at The Lagoon, Bathurst, NSW who part-owned him with farmers Bill and Bob Webb.

Hondo Grattan made a winning racetrack debut on 24 May 1971 at Penrith however it was his only win in six starts as a two-year-old.

He began his three-year-old season by winning eight consecutive races before being defeated by Jason King at Harold Park on 26 November 1972. He then won a further eight consecutive races including the New South Wales Sires’ Produce, second in importance only to the New South Wales Derby. After defeating Adios Victor and Jason King in a derby heat in March, he was unplaced in the final to Bold Biami and fourth to Bold Biami in the Simpson Sprint. He won 17 of his 21 starts during the season.

Hondo Grattan finished fourth in the Australasian Four-year-old Championship at Harold Park and after an unsuccessful trip to Melbourne he contested the Australia Day Cup series in January 1973. After a win and an unlucky fifth in his heats he finished third in the final on 26 January to Bold Biami. Hondo Grattan also won the 1973 New South Wales Futurity.

The Inter Dominion was to be held in Sydney that year and it attracted an extremely strong field of contenders including defending champion Welcome Advice, New Zealand stars Robalan, Arapaho, Manaroa, Royal Ascot and Globe Bay, Victorian Reichman the runner-up in the 1972 Miracle Mile Pace, as well as New South Wales trained Just Too Good, Jason King and Australia Day Cup winner Bold Biami. The quantity and quality of horses contesting the series was such that six heats were held on each night, the only time this has happened. On the first night he beat Arapaho and Jason King before defeating Speedy Ben and Bold Biami to be the only pacer undefeated after two rounds of heats. The third round was postponed several days due to rain, but when they were held Hondo Grattan remained unbeaten. After drawing barrier two Hondo Grattan was favourite for the final in a strong field. Despite a tough run Hondo Grattan prevailed over Royal Ascot and Glamour Chief. After trainer-driver Turnbull was suspended he missed the Miracle Mile Pace. Hondo Grattan then won the Lord Mayors’ Cup following second and first place heat finishes. He did it the hard way defeating Nicotine Prince after making a slow start.