Holt family hoping for Home Hill celebrations

By Glenn Davis

Townsville trainer Georgie Holt is hoping for a family celebration when she makes the trip to Home Hill on Saturday with consistent sprinter Hit Snooze.

Holt is married to jockey Aidan Holt and her parents Tony and Deirdre Bourke are both involved in the ownership of Hit Snooze.

Hit Snooze will be one of three starters for Holt at Home Hill when the mare tackles the Open Plate over 1200 metres.

Holt originally kept Hit Snooze to non-TAB fixtures early in her career but in recent times has sent her to TAB meetings in Townsville, where she has performed creditably.

“She’s been a family horse for quite a while and Aidan has won on her a few times,” Holt said.

“She’s been a good old mare and she keeps Mum and Dad happy and she’s very consistent.”

Hit Snooze started her career in Brisbane with trainer Steven O'Dea before she headed north in 2019.

The six-year-old has won eight times for Holt and is coming off a last start third behind the Kevin Miller-trained Isis Carmella in a 1200 metre Open Handicap at Townsville earlier this month.

“She had every chance but just came up against some better horses on the day last start,” Holt said.

“We also had Bold Kingston in the race, which ran second, but she just wasn’t good enough on the day.”

Hit Snooze has competed in two Battle Of The Bush Finals in Brisbane for Holt but returned home empty headed both times.

“She’s been down to Brisbane twice for that series,” Holt said.

“The first time she was a bit lucky to get in after she ran second in three qualifiers and never quite won one.

“Mum and Dad took a gamble and decided to go down and she only got into the field when Bevan Johnson didn’t accept with his.

“Last year she won a qualifier and got in but she had a horrid run and never had much luck.”

Holt, who is in her fifth year of training, rates Mersey Girl her next best chance in the QTIS Maiden Plate over 1180 metres.

Mersey Girl placed for the first time in nine starts when second in a 1000 metre Townsville Three-Year-Old Maiden on February 3.

“She put in a great run at Townsville and only just got beaten,” she said.

“She’s just making her way back after having six months off.”