NQ Connors stable excited to unleash new filly

By Jordan Gerrans

After more than a decade out of the North Queensland training ranks, it took just a gentle push by his horse-keen daughter for Matt Connor to take out his licence again.

It was Connor’s racing enthusiast daughter – Taylor – who urged the industry veteran back into the game.

The 25-year-old Townsville-based Taylor works for the leading NQ stable of Georgie Holt and was keen to take out her own training licence initially. 

That has been put on the back burner for a little while as father Matt prepares the family's gallopers.

The Connors will present a first starter on Saturday afternoon at Cluden Park who they believe could be contender for the feature juvenile races come the 2023 northern carnival.

After collecting almost 60 winners across the Sunshine State earlier in his life, Matt says it is extra special to share his second stint training with Taylor.

“It is enjoyable, especially when you have your daughter involved, like I do now,” Matt said.

“She is the one that got the racing bug and got me excited to do it all again.

“It is great to do it together.”

As well as breaking in and educating horses for other stables, Matt prepared his own team of horses for many years more than a decade ago.

He spent time training in Brisbane as well as Townsville.

That is where Taylor was first exposed to the industry before she eventually decided to lift her involvement when working under Holt.

Taylor has strapped for the Holt stable in recent years on race day.

“She was a baby when I trained years ago, so she was brought up in the early years around the horses,” Matt said of Taylor. 

“She spent the best part of her time cleaning up horse manure and filling up water buckets for me.

“We used to do all our own breaking in back in the day and she would ride the dolly horse for me.

“She has always been good with horses and she wants to have a crack at training eventually.”

While Matt is listed as the training in the form guide, the Connors are preparing their two gallopers as a team.

“Dad has been really supportive,” Taylor said.

Before starting Pitchfork in November of last year, Matt had not had a runner in his own name since March of 2012.

He spent time working with former Townsville-based trainer Chris Attard and Deagon trainer Steele Ryan over the last few years to brush up on all his skills and knowledge after being away from the sport on a full-time basis for so long.

The Connors have high hopes for their unraced youngster.

Filly Spring’s Gift had one trial in Victoria for the prominent Hayes camp before she was transferred to Townsville.

The father and daughter team also own the majority of the filly.

She has drawn wide for her first ever race day assignment on Saturday at Townsville but the training team are confident she will improve on whatever she produces on debut.

“She has only just turned three so she has been doing a lot of growing,” Taylor said.

“This will be an educational run this Saturday and then she is likely to go out for a spell for the rest of the hot summer up here.

“We plan to bring her back for the winter carnival time next year.”

The daughter of Sebring steps out in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Maiden Handicap over 1000 metres on Saturday and Matt feels there is more trip in her later in the year.

“The plan is to give her this start and then head to the three-year-old races across the winter carnival time in North Queensland,” Matt said.

“We want to give her a chance at races like that over the carnival.

“Her breeding suggests she will get out to around 1400 metres down the track.

“In her work, that is the impression we get as well as she has a clean set of lungs on her so we will take this step for her education on Saturday for the upcoming winter.”

The Connors have just two in their stable at the moment - Spring’s Gift and Pitchfork.

Pitchfork was last at the races in November of last year and is working back from a foot concern.