Geran stable look to Battle Of The Bush series

By Glenn Davis

The training partnership of Corey and Kylie Geran hope to plot a course to the Battle Of The Bush Final at Eagle Farm with their vastly improved sprinter On Hold.

'Team Geran' have had great success with tried horses since forming a training partnership six years ago.

The stable struck immediate success with On Hold, who was a $20,000 buy at an online auction off Sunshine Coast trainer David Vandyke.

“She won her first three starts for us when we got her off David and she more’s than paid her way,” Corey Geran said.

“We often target horses online for these country series like the Battle Of The Bush and Country Stampede.”

The Gerans went close to winning the Battle Of The Bush Final with Jack Be Lucky who was beaten by the John Manzelmann-trained Tiger Legend last year.

The Gerans will send On Hold around in the Open Handicap over 1000 metres at St George on Saturday.

“We’ve had no issues with her since she came to us but I’m not sure why she was put on the market,” Corey Geran said.

“Maybe they just thought she wasn’t up to the grade around Caloundra but she’s gone on to win six races for us.”

The daughter of Headwater won two races for Vandyke before being placed on the market.

She picked up $34,000 in prizemoney after winning her first three starts in her first campaign for 'Team Geran' in May last year before going on to win six times for the Toowoomba partnership.

On Hold will be ridden by apprentice Caine Stuart and is chasing a hat-trick of wins after dominant performances at Dalby and Goondiwindi last month.

“She’ll be hard to beat as she’s been too good for them in her last two races,” Corey Geran said.

“She’s very fast and is hard to run down when she gets to the front.”

'Team Geran' have trained several winners in the metropolitan area while building their stable numbers up to 60 in work at Toowoomba.

Corey Geran lived at the Sunshine Coast for several years while he attended university.

He gained a business degree before the racing bug took hold and he started working as a foreman for John Symons and Sheila Laxon at Caloundra.

It was a natural progression for the 28-year-old Corey Geran who was brought up around horses all his life as his father is well-known former Toowoomba jockey Gary Geran.