Beach work and jumps rejuvenate Arctic Wolf

By Glenn Davis

Beach work and schooling sessions over the jumps has been the key to rejuvenated six-year-old Arctic Wolf ahead of his attempt at a hat-trick of wins at Mackay on Friday.

Astute Townsville trainer Georgie Holt has adopted the proven method. 

Georgie trains alongside her husband, heavyweight rider Aidan Holt. 

Arctic Wolf will be aiming to maintain his unbeaten record for Holt in the H.L. Black Memorial Open Handicap over 1800 metres.

The son of Sebring was originally prepared as a young horse by Mike Moroney in Melbourne before winning three times for NSW trainer Brett Dodson.

He was then sent to Olivia Cairns, when she was based at Mackay, and won twice more as well as a placing in last year’s Cairns Cup, which was won by the Ricky Vale-trained Namazu.

Holt had hoped heavyweight jockey Ashley Butler, who has been successful on Arctic Wolf in his past two starts, would again partner him at Mackay but has been replaced with Adrian Layt.

“We were keen for Ash to ride him again but he didn’t get his weight (54kgs) when Namazu was entered for the race,” Holt said.

Holt expects Arctic Wolf will again be competitive and plans to back him up in the Mackay Cup over 2000 metres on July 22.

“He’s going well and has got a new lease of life since he’s come up here,” Holt said.

“He wasn’t quite up to the grade down south but once he arrived here, we change things around.

“I did a lot of work with him health wise and now he goes to the beach three or four times a week.

“I also put him over the jumps and he doesn’t do much work on the track.

“He seems to thrive if things are a bit different.”

Holt, who rates Namazu as the main threat, is keen to target the Townsville and Cairns Cup if his current form continues.

“He was placed in last year’s Cairns Cup and all going well he’ll run in the Townsville Cup then the Cairns Cup,” she said.

Namazu is top weight with 65kgs and is back in the Vale stable after a short five start campaign for the Brisbane training partnership of Steven O'Dea and Matthew Hoysted. 

Namazu hasn’t raced since finishing 11th to Irish Songs in the Lasted Glasshouse Handicap at the Sunshine Coast on July 1.