NIKAU SPUR SECURES A START IN THE ARCHER

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Nikau Spur’s slashing first-up run at Eagle Farm on Saturday might not have produced a win, but it helped open the door to a great new opportunity for the chestnut son of Proisir, his co-trainers Corey and Kylie Geran and his enthusiastic, large group of owners who rally around wherever the relatively new but already distinctive KO Racing colours are in action.

The ownership group loves racing, and they will thrilled just at the prospect of Nikau Spur taking his place in the $775 000 The Archer at Rockhampton on April 27 ... his entry being confirmed by John Kele from KGB Racing, one of the slot holders with the right to select their runners for the Archer Showdown.

This is not the first time the Geran stable has attracted slot holder attention and there are some similarities between this second call up and the first time they Team Geran secured a slot in a race field determined by the slot holders.

On January 1 this year, the stable sent Mahbaby out to contest another slot race, The King Of The Mountain at Toowoomba after the mare had caught the eye with a come from behind win in The Country Stampede Final at Doomben at double figure odds a month earlier.

Totally different circumstances, maybe, but again it was an eye-catching run less, now less than a month out from the big race, that arguably sealed the Archer deal for Nikau Spur and the Geran Team.

As the bulk of the field has yet to be finalised for The Archer, it is not possible to shuffle the cards to see where Nikau Spur might fit in, but this is really a case of, if you have got a ticket, you have got a chance. The first part of a winning formula is to get the invite.

Box ticked.

Nikau Spur has only raced five times this season and it is hard to fault his successive city wins at Doomben, his second place in the Toowoomba Cup or that eye-catching run last start when he finished third, just 1.16 lengths behind the winner when resuming.

Even if he is kept nice and fresh in these coming weeks leading into The Archer, an element of doubt will probably remain in place until everything unfolds on race-day as far as Nikau Spur’s best race distance is concerned with all seven of his career wins coming over distances ranging from 1400 to 2200m.

The Archer is a 1300m race.

Nikau Spur is brave and capable enough to offset that possible disadvantage though and many owners would love to have a horse with his all around consistency.

In seven starts over the last nine months, Nikau Spur never finished out of the first three places ... winning three, running second once and third three times ... and has never finished more than that 1.16 lengths back in those four placed runs.

He is the type of horse you would like to have on your side ... and KGB Racing have clearly recognised that fact.

And, in a sense, what a full circle this will be for KO Racing’s Kobie O’Brien who was instrumental in putting the Nikau Spurs ownership group together.

Speaking to HRO at the start of this racing season, O’Brien gave some background into his syndication business which included the following:

“I grew up in Barcaldene and Longreach … went to boarding school in Rockhampton and stayed there afterwards which was where I got my introduction into racing.

“In Rockhampton I had mates who had horses with Tom Button. I ended up doing a bit of work for Tommy.
“I guess you could say I worked as his racing manager for a little bit, and he taught me the ins and outs of finding clients and selling horses … especially tried horses … and how best to communicate with potential owners. He’s a good businessman Tommy. I learnt a lot from him.”

Well, guess who is also part of the KGB Slot Holder team?

Yep, you are right. Tom Button.

So, it could turn out to be a winning celebration, a reunion get-together of sorts ... but, whatever reason these connections will find to continue to enjoy their involvement in racing, chances are that Rockhampton will rock over that weekend irrespective of whether Nikau Spur’s result is a win, lose or draw.

In that respect alone, Nikau Spur’s presence already brings added value to the meeting.

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