Holt Stable Building Numbers for Another Premiership Tilt

Holt stable building numbers for another premiership tilt

With a shift south now on the backburner, leading trainer Georgie Holt is fully focused on claiming a third straight Cluden Park premiership when racing resumes at Cluden Park on Sunday.

Holt will have a modest team of four runners on the newly renovated Cluden track, but that’s just the calm before the storm.

After deciding against a move south, the stable is in the process of building its strongest team yet for the 2045-25 season.

“We turned out a lot of our runners who weren’t up to carnival level, like we do each year, and with the annual track closure we’ve been pretty quiet,” Holt said.

“But that’s all changing now. We’re building the numbers up again. 

“We have 19 in work and we’ve just about finished building another 10 boxes at the farm so we’ll be looking at having a maximum of around 24 in work.

“Our aim is to build on what we’ve done the year before and the past two seasons have been very good for us. “

 Holt, who prepares her team at Nome with jockey husband Aidan, claimed a second Townsville premiership in 2023/24 with 31 Cluden winners in just her seventh year as a trainer.

The lure of moving south is still there but not just yet.

“The opportunity to move last season just wasn’t right,” Holt said. 

“It’s obviously difficult with two young kids and being established here, and having the family network is also something we had to weigh up.

“I wouldn’t say never but it’s just waiting for the right opportunity to come along.”

Sunday’s meeting is the first at Cluden since the track was closed for renovation following the Townsville Cup meeting on August 4.

Holt’s best chances are stable newcomer John Joseph and the in-form Tycoon Beau who has won his past two starts in Cairns and Ewan.

John Joseph, a former Victorian, will tackle the race recognising Holt’s 2023/24 title win, the George Holt Trainer of the Year Cl 3 Hcp (1000m).

Tycoon Beau will step up the 1609m in the Chilli Jam Horse of the Year BM55 Hcp.

“It’s a bit hard to gauge John Joseph because we haven’t had grass gallops or jump outs. We are a bit on the backfoot in that sense.  He’s done enough in his work to think he’ll run well but the sticky gate makes it a bit harder,” Holt said.

“Tycoon Lad’s progression has been outstanding. He’s just come on so well with each run. He was quite docile when he first showed up but he’s already taken a big leap and I think he’ll go quite well.”

The stable will also saddle up Specialtie and grand old stable mare Hit Snooze in the Lacey Morrison jockey of the Year BM55 Hcp (1200m).

In a remarkable career, eight-year-old Hit Snooze joined Holt’s stable in 2019, just a few years into her training career.

A stable fixture, the evergreen mare has raced 111 times for 13 wins and 35 starts for $330,000 in prizemoney earnings.

The eight event card kicks off with the Great Northern Brewing Co. 3yo Mdn Hcp (1200m) at 12.15pm.