FOLLOW GRANT GOODRUM'S GG RACING
By Graham Potter | Saturday, October 12, 2024
There is no better way of putting a feature race disappointment behind you than by pressing forward and continuing to try and prepare that runner to perfection for his next start … and then see him come out and smash the opposition, in the process handing the stable the added bonus of delivering their first Listed race winner.
That’s the short version of the Corey and Kylie Geran trained Nikau Spur’s outstanding result in the Listed Queensland Cup over 2400m at Eagle Farm on October 12, in which the eight-year-old gelding trounced the opposition under the superb handling of champion jockey Jimmy Orman, running right away from the opposition and staying on strongly all the way to the line to secure that landmark victory by a decisive three length margin.
The stayer accelerated like a sprinter.
It was also a first Listed race success for Grant Goodrum’s GG Racing whose colours Nikau Spur was racing in for the second time. The first of those runs was Nikau Spur’s second placing in the Toowoomba Cup, which is the home-town cup for Geran racing … hence, as mentioned, the disappointment there for the stable in his previous start (it was Nikau Spur’s second successive runner-up finish in the race), but one which they have now been quickly put behind them.
NIKAU SPUR GIVES GG RACING AND TEAM GERAN THEIR FIRST LISTED RACE WIN (OCTOBER 12, 2024)
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A treble for the day.
That was the washup for the Corey and Kylie Geran training partnership on September 7, after Jack Be Lucky (at Surat), Skater and Island Tide (at Toowoomba) all saluted on the day.
The All Too Hard mare, Island Tide, was the last leg of that stable treble, adding to her already impressive strike-rate for the Geran stable with a win in a BM70 Handicap over 870m.
The five-year-old mare has been something of a short course specialist since transferring to the Geran stable from trainer David Vandyke.
This was Island Tide’s fourth win from seven starts for the Corey and Kylie Geran training partnership ... with the distances over which those wins were achieved ... 800m, 860m 800m and 870m ... telling their own story.
The betting called the race a three-way battle between Island Tide at $3.70, and the two joint favourites Devil’s Rite and Capital Gain (who both started at $3.50). While these three runners did indeed fill the first three placings, it was not the close contest the betting had predicted. Read more ...
ISLAND TIDE'S STRONG FLOW OF WINNERS CONTINUES (SEPTEMBER 7, 2024)
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The second race at Kilcoy on July 9 was a BM58 Handicap over 800m.
This looked a race for Island Tide. The betting clearly indicated this was a race for Island Tide. The track (Kilcoy) and distance (800m) and inside barrier draw (number two) provided a race package that was tailor-made for Island Tide.
But this is racing and nothing is guaranteed ... until it is ... and with Island Tide turning up in a no-nonsense mood, the expected result was already effectively in the frame long before the daughter of All Too Hard crossed the line.
She did that with 4.30 lengths to spare on the best of the rest without ever being extended. She did that under the steadying burden of 60kg (62kg less the claim for Landan Skyes) and she stopped the clock in a marginally better time than she did when she previously won over the same track and distance back on June 2 (45.00 seconds compared to 45.07 seconds) ... the point there being that he carried a significant 6kg more on this occasion..
So, clearly, we are talking about a fit, happy and healthy horse here and credit is due to Corey and Kylie Geran for their handling of Island Tide, with the four-year-old having now won three out of four starts since transferring to the Geran stable. Read more ...
ISLAND TIDE IS ALREADY A SUCCESS STORY (JULY 9, 2024)
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Island Tide’s win in a BM62 over 870m at Gatton on June 29 was a significant one for the Corey and Kylie Geran training partnership as it was their tenth winner for the month ... a new record for the stable.
The up-and-coming stable put another training double on the scoreboard when Vonzither and Island Tide both saluted in the first two races on the card ... with Island Tide’s 3.50 length victory romp being a far easier watch for connections than Vonzither’s oh so narrow victory.
Racing in the GG Racing colours, Island Tide (a $2.60 equal favourite), was sent into an immediate lead from the number two barrier draw by Landan Sykes and, although she had a couple of runners trying to annoy er early, the daughter of All Too Hard never put a hoof wrong, controlling the race throughout, dropping her rivals one by one ... to the degree that Island Tide turned into the home straight with a two length advantage over her nearest challenger with Sykes still seemingly sitting with a handful of horse.
From there, although Szabo ($8) did keep up the chase, it was basically a victory procession as Island Tide went to the line to win as she liked, scoring every bit as easily as the 3.50 length winning margins suggests. Read more ...
ISLAND TIDE BRINGS UP A NEW MONTHLY RECORD HAUL OF WINNERS FOR THE GERAN STABLE (JUNE 26, 2024)
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Sunday, June 2 at Kilcoy ... a beautiful day of winter sunshine after a weather forecast earlier in the week had appeared to threaten the meeting ... and taking home two winners, that was the delight experienced by the Corey and Kylie Geran stable who had Island Tide and Shotgun Sixtyfour salute on the seven-race card.
Island Tide became the latest tried horse purchase to win on debut for the Geran training partnership. This has been such a common, recurring theme with this up-and-coming stable that you could start believing that, in this game of chance, they have got this aspect of their gameplan down to a fine art.
Of course, that can’t be guaranteed moving forward ... nothing ever can in racing ... but, by the same token, current results posted in this regard ... past the post, on the board ... are very impressive.
Astute purchasing has to go hand in hand with the race preparation though and ... how’s this for a statistic.
Horses racing in the already distinctive colours of Grant Goodrum’s GG Racing, all trained by Corey and Kylie Geran, have now won six races in a row with Island Tide being the latest addition to that list following On Hold (three wins), Jenni Moreese and Never Give Up. Read more ...
ISLAND TIDE MAKES IT SIX-IN-A-ROW FOR GG RACING (JUNE 2, 2024)
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A rapid-fire hat trick of wins!
Not many horses win three races in a row. Even less achieve that feat over a period of time as little as seventeen days ... yet that is the story of the Corey and Kylie Geran trained On Hold.
On Hold is, in fact, unbeaten in three starts for Team Geran, after the mare, who had previously raced for trainer David Vandyke, was purchased by GG Racing.
These rapid-fire wins came on May 4 in a BM62 Handicap over 870m at Toowoomba, on May 11 in a Class 3 Plate over 1000m at Toowoomba ... and now, here, in a BM65 Handicap at Chinchilla on May 18.
While jockey Karl Zechner, who is now a valuable part of the Geran team, rode On Hold in the first two of those wins, the 2kg claiming apprentice Landan Sykes got the nod for the ride here, giving On Hold some welcome weight relief from the 63kg she had been set to carry (down to 61kg).
As things turned out, that claim was arguably worth its weight in gold as On Hold (the $2.60 favourite) prevailed in a highly pressurised finish to win yet again in a tough battle which saw less than two lengths cover the first five runners across the line. Read more ...
ON HOLD COMPLETES A RAPID-FIRE HAT TRICK ON WINS (MAY 20, 2024)
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The lightly raced Never Give Up turned a BM60 contest over 1200m at Toowoomba on May 18 into a winning debut for his new stable ... the Corey and Kylie Geran training partnership ... when he outgunned the Tony Gollan trained favourite Set To Shine to score by 0,20 lengths.
Never Give Up is the second tried runner sourced from the highly respected David Vandyke yard by GG Racing ... and, like On Hold who followed a similar path before him, Never Give Up wasted no time at all in starting to replay the investment for his new ownership group.
Never Give Up had won twice (over 1200m and 1400m) while under Vandyke’s care in eight starts and the son of Heroic Valour logical starting point, first-up after a five month break from race action, was this 1200m distance.
Never Give Up jumped as the $4.40 second favourite (Set To Shine topped the boards at $3.90) and was immediately set a task in a fairly hectic start in which half-a-dozen runners broke from the gates with some meaning looking to establish a prominent position early. Read more ...
NEVER GIVE UP LIVES UP TO HIS NAME (MAY 18, 2024)
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You can make that two wins from two starts for On Hold since joining the Corey and Kylie Geran stable now, after the daughter of Headwater won for the second time in a eight days at Toowoomba, taking out a Class 3 Plate over 1000m on May 11 when backing up from her BM62 Handicap win at the same track over 870m on May 4.
On Hold ($3.50) had to work harder for victory this time but prevailed under Karl Zechner to beat off the game challenge of the $3.10 race favourite Upstart Legend by 0.80 lengths.
The first part of the race was a carbon copy of On Hold’s previous win ... jumping smartly from a wide great, showing good gate-speed to stretch out into the lead with the minimum of fuss.
Zechner was then able to dictate from the front and On Hold held a neat length lead over Upstart Legend and these two runners basically held station for the whole duration of the race ... Upstart Legend wasn’t going away, but he was also not making any real inroads into On Hold’s lead, while On Hold continued to maintain a strong gallop to the line with the win always looking to be safely in her keeping. Read more ...
ON HOLD SALUTES AGAIN (MAY 11, 2024)
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Jenni Moreese claimed her first career success in only her fourth start when proving far too strong for her rivals in a Maiden Plate over 1600m at Gatton on May 10.
The Corey and Kylie Geran trained daughter of Maurice has been a work in progress since transferring to the Team Geran from the Ben, Will and JD Hayes training partnership.
With the Hayes’, Jenni Moreese only had one start. They wasted no time in starting the well-bred filly off at a 1500m trip, but she failed to fire on debut as a $1.70 favourite.
She then was moved on with GG Racing purchasing her and placing her with the Geran stable.
There was a clue in that 1500m sighter by the Hayes stable.
It suggested that Jenni Moreese would need ground to be most effective ... and the Geran stable worked on that premise, plotting a steady route to that goal by giving her two runs ... first over 1300m (the starting price was $14), then 1400m (at $26) ... as they, not only gradually took each step up in distance in a measured fashion, but also, importantly, added to Jenni Moreese ‘s all around racing experience.
In that 1400m run Jenni Moreese was absolutely flying in the finish. She finished second and would have won the race in another half-a-stride.
Now, third-up for the Geran stable and going to 1600m seemed the ideal race for her ... and so it was to prove as she duly saluted at a starting price of $3.10. Read more ...
JENNI MOREESE RACES TO HER FIRST CAREER VICTORY IN CONVINCING STYLE (MAY 10, 2024)
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On Hold no longer!
GG Racing is on the scoreboard with On Hold scoring an emphatic win in a BM62 Handicap over 870m at Toowoomba on May 4 in the mare’s first start since relocating from trainer David Vandyke to the Corey and Kylie Geran stable.
It was an easy watch for the GG Racing syndicate members as Karl Zechner chased On Hold up from a wide barrier to gain the lead early.
That move took some effort but On Hold handled that with ease and she was able to comfortably cross to the rail.
Once there, Zechner allowed On Hold to settle into a easy gallop, happy just to hold the leading position in front of a wall of horses without asking too much of his mount through the middle stages of the race.
On Hold’s lead was only a length on straightening ... with the pack at work behind her, chasing hard ... but On Hold’s resolute gallop soon began to stretch out the runners behind her, and she edged further ahead of even her closest rivals to pass the line two lengths ahead of the runner up, the $3 favourite Swiss Babe.
The $5.50 price about On Hold’s chances was a clearly a generous one. Read more ...
TOO EASY FOR ON HOLD IN FIRST START FOR HER NEW STABLE AS SHE PUTS GG RACING ON THE SCOREBOARD (MAY 4, 2024)
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