 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.