Georgie Holt fires a late shot at Rocky feature

By Garry Dell

Townsville trainer Georgie Holt hopes a last minute decision will reap rich reward in the $150,000 Capricornia Yearling Sales Classic at Rockhampton on Saturday.

Holt entered last-start Cluden Park winner This Girl's Ready just before nominations for the yearling sales related race closed after the Better Than Ready filly's first-up victory a fortnight ago.

"I left it very late because I wasn't sure how she would come back from a spell after a short first preparation," Holt said.

"But, when she came from well back over the 1000 metre journey and finished strongly to get up in the last few strides, I decided we may as well have a throw at the stumps.

"She ran the 1000 metres in 58.52 seconds and I think the extra distance on Saturday will be in her favour.

"My girl has drawn a sticky gate in barrier 12 but her style of racing should be suited to the long run-in at Callaghan Park.

"She'll have the services of jockey Les "Bubba" Tilley, who knows his way around the track, so we're keeping our fingers crossed.

"The filly can be a bit of  a handful at times but "Bubba" has plenty of experience and a good record in feature events on the track."

Aidan - Georgie's husband and training partner - arrived in Rockhampton late on Thursday afternoon with This Girl's Ready, the in-form Forseti and Ciao Bicky and reported that all had travelled and were bright and sparkly at the track on Friday morning.

Jackson Murphy rides Forseti in a Benchmark 58 over 1400 metres on Friday as well as Ciao Bicky in a Class 6 Handicap over 1600 metres on Saturday.

Ciao Bicky has won his last four starts in impressive fashion at Cluden Park, none more so than last week's fight back win after being headed in the straight.

"I don't know how he will go up the long straight at Rocky but Jackson knows him well and the horse is inclined to 'switch off' a bit when he gets to the front," Holt said. 

"But, he's worked well since his win last week and we're going into the race with confidence."

Meanwhile, Holt will also saddle up a runner at Home Hill's non-TAB meeting on Saturday.

She has 21 horses in work at the moment and is a runaway leader in the Cluden Park trainers' premiership this season in only her fifth year as a trainer with 25 wins to her credit.

"I've trained a hell of a lot of placings and would like some of those close seconds to have been wins," she said.

"But, we're going along well and Aidan and I get along really well together.

"Our horses seem to enjoy the variety of work we give them and are producing results.

"Hopefully we have some in the stable which will measure up come Northern carnivals time later in the year."