Geeson stable kicking goals to start 2025

By Jordan Gerrans

Aided by some extra firepower in recent weeks, the Gail Geeson team kick-started their 2025 campaign in perfect fashion on Wednesday evening at Redcliffe.

The Geeson-prepared Candykane bounced back to her best form over 1780 metres around ‘The Triangle’ with reinsman Leonard Cain leading the mare to a dominant victory.

Geeson and husband Vic Frost – a Queensland Harness Racing Hall of Fame member – have been assisted by legendary AFL goal kicker Tony Lockett around their stable in recent times and their association went to another level not long ago.

The great ‘Plugger’ has struck up a strong friendship with the harness racing team on the Northern Rivers of New South Wales since he moved north.

The champion Sydney and St Kilda superboot gave the Geeson and Frost team a hand exercising their horses recently and drove gelding Zac Daniels in his trackwork.

Zac Daniels has two wins to his name and races under the training banner of harness champion Frost.

Zac Daniels was off the racing scene during the back end of 2024 and will trial soon following his trackwork under the urgings of the greatest goal-kicker in the history of Australian Rules Football.

“He is a really top bloke and he will come and help us mowing around the place,” Geeson said of ‘Plugger’.

“He actually used to do a bit of trackwork down at Ballarat in his younger days in the 1980s – he said he really enjoyed doing that.

“The other day he had a little drive on Zac Daniels and really enjoyed it – he has got a good seat and good hands, he has obviously done a bit of driving.

“He has only had the one drive but he is keen to keep driving. He is willing to help – we have got a good friendship with him.”

As well as his harness racing interests, Lockett has had a long connection with greyhound racing as an owner of several chasers over the years with his family involved in the sport for generations.

Lockett, affectionately known as Plugger, retired in 2002 as the greatest ever goal kicker in the history of the AFL and VFL with 1,360 goals.

The Geeson and Frost combination are looking for early success in the New Year with Zac Daniels as they found with Candykane on Wednesday.

The bay mare had not scored since February of 2024 before she was a stylish winner on Wednesday.

As the 53-year-old Geeson notes, Candykane has been a work in progress for the team.

The six-year-old spent the majority of the back end of 2024 in the paddock as she worked back to health.

“She wasn’t going too good prior to this, we had to turn her out,” Geeson said.

“She was a bit sick, the horse. We have worked hard with her and the vet, giving her a few different things and now she is looking a million dollars.

“She has obviously got over it all, she is eating up every grain – she is feeling and looks good.

“Vic said that this is the best this mare has ever been looking wise, she has been working very good, as well.

“We are really happy with the way she has been going.”

The pacer traces back to Frost’s champion of the early 1990s, Westburn Grant.

Candykane is out of the mare Likeness and was sired by Hurrikane Kingcole.

Harness racing doyen Frost remarked to Geeson before Wednesday’s race that it was the best Candykane had worked in some time.

She has now won on five occasions – as well as eight other minor placings – from 54 attempts and the stable are hopeful there is more to come.

“She has always had ability and I think the tongue-tie going on has helped” the trainer said.

“Matt Elkins drove her one day at Redcliffe and he thought she was as good as Scotch En Ice and Docta Feelgood, which I was surprised by.

“Matt thought she had a lot of ability but it was just about getting it out of her and that she has to be good in herself and healthy.

“I thought that race was good for her on Wednesday night and we knew how well she was working at home.

“We were very impressed by her and she is from a good family line – she had a couple of sisters who have raced well.”

Candykane is likely to have a couple more starts at the Peninsula-based club before heading back to Albion Park for a mares qualifying event.

Much of the Frost and Geeson team have been out for a break recently and with eight in work, they are set to be active at the trials in the coming weeks.

Pinkchampagne – who won the QBRED TRIAD Consolation in the two-year-old fillies division last year – has come back strong and is nearing a return, Geeson says.