New stable all geed-up after recent prolific form

By Jordan Gerrans

The team behind the brand new turquoise and hot pink silks that are taking the country and provincial racing scene by storm are still pinching themselves with just how prolific they have been since launching.

Known as 'GG Racing', the new colours have been absolutely flying since the end of March.

In that time frame, the ownership group have sent four horses to the races and have walked away with six winners from just nine starters.

The turquoise and hot pink army also had the favourite in Sunday’s Kilcoy Cup but had to settle for a rare non-victory for the team as Never Give Up ran fourth.

GG Racing is run by Sunshine Coast duo Grant Goodrum and Samantha Bird with the horses being prepared by the Corey and Kylie Geran team on the Darling Downs.

“We have been very fortunate,” Goodrum said of the astonishing results over the last five weeks.

“Our families have been in racing for generations so hopefully that helps us identify horses that we can place right and win races with them. That is what we have done.”

Island Tide, Jenni Moreese, Never Give Up and On Hold have all provided the goods so far for the burgeoning ownership group.

On Hold is undefeated since transferring from David Vandyke’s yard to the Gerans – recording three straight victories over sprint trips.

Goodrum has been around the caper his entire life and has ridden track work since his teenage years.

He worked for the Caloundra stable of Vandyke for a period of time, which led to acquiring On Hold, among others, from the Group 1-winning conditioner.

Goodrum says their brand new ownership team has ‘grown like wildfire’ since they landed their first galloper and more friends and family have quickly jumped on board.

“My partner (Bird) and I had always had shares in horses and we had a lot of fun doing it,” Goodrum said.

“Never Give Up came up for sale and he was the first one we bought together to race him. We made our own set of colours and got some friends and family involved with him.

“It has just grown from there as we bought another one and kept going with the same group of people.

“We are having a great time with a great group of people at the moment. We do not mind where we win a race – as long as everyone has a good time.”

Goodrum and Corey Geran have long been close mates.

Goodrum’s father – Shane – prepared a team of horses at Bundaberg up until late 2007.

The Goodrum family have been involved in the industry going back multiple generations.

Grant rode work for his father as a teenager and had a crack at being an apprentice jockey but weight got the best of him.

He instead focused on riding work and breaking in horses, spending time working at Symphony Lodge at Oakey on the Darling Downs.

“I know Corey from when he was at the Sunshine Coast and I rode track work for them,” Goodrum said.

“Corey and I lived together for about a year and we become very close mates. We go back a long way.”

As well as the recent winners - Island Tide, Jenni Moreese, Never Give Up and On Hold - GG Racing also has Blue Chip Girl and Sheer Reward amongst their group.

The team have hopes of landing On Hold in the Country Stampede Final later this year.

“She is a lovely horse and we would love to set to set her for the Country Stampede,” Goodrum said.

“That is probably our biggest target for the year.

“She is very nice and all going well she will go around at Ipswich on Friday.”

On Hold heads to a Winter Provincial Sprint Series heat at Benchmark 72 Handicap level over 1100 metres on Friday at Ipswich while Sheer Reward will have his first start in the new colours at the Gold Coast Turf Club on Saturday in a Class 1 Handicap over 1200 metres.