Geoff Batts turns up for historic occasion

By Jordan Gerrans

Horseman Geoff Batts can clearly recall the track at Caloundra being built more than four decades ago. 

Originally from Gympie, Batts relocated to the Sunshine Coast in his early 20s way back in 1988 to chase his passion of riding gallopers for local trainers such as Trevor Miller and Pete Brennan. 

As the Sunshine Coast Turf Club paused to honour its 40^th anniversary on Friday afternoon, Batts produced a memorable winner that gave a distinct nod to the history of the game in the area. 

Batts’ Out Of Turn won the first event from Caloundra on Friday.

The three-year-old gelding started his career with Randwick trainer Ron Quinton. 

In his early days in the industry as a rider, Quinton rode the first-ever winner on the Caloundra surface when it opened on the 25^th of July 1985.

“I always tell people I rode the first winner there,” Quinton said with a big laugh in the lead-up to Friday’s historic race meeting. 

It was a fitting result to see Out Of Turn salute in front of the big crowd. 

It doubled as a significant milestone in the career of Batts as well, as it was his maiden win as a trainer. 

“It was a really good win and it gives you some proof in yourself that you are doing the right thing,” Batts said.

“It was nice to do it on the home track on a big day as I spent 30 years riding trackwork there. 

“I came here after school to get a job riding horses along the beach. It is a really good set-up here at Caloundra. He will make a nice horse.”

The 58-year-old Batts rode trackwork and worked as a farrier and breaker for long-time local conditioner Miller for around a decade. 

He trained on his own during the 2004-05 season before a long hiatus.

He spent just over a decade away from the racing industry as he worked in the mines in regional Queensland. 

Batts has returned to the caper in recent years and took out his training ticket again in the 2022-23 campaign.

He just has a couple of gallopers in work while running a business with his partner at Beerwah away from the racing game. 

On an occasion that celebrated the SCTC’s historic growth, Batts couldn’t help but reminisce on those old days when he cut his teeth in the industry. 

“When I first went there, back in the day, there was only Trevor Miller, the late Mick Mair and a couple of other trainers, like Nat McCall’s dad Ray,” he recalls.

“It started off pretty small, but it was just starting in those days.

“I have seen most of the time at the track and I can remember when they started to build it when I was in high school.

“I have driven past it for the past 40 years basically since it started.”

Out Of Turn did not just win, he bolted in by almost four length as the well-supported $1.75 shot.

The son of Astern was unraced when he transferred to Batts from Quinton. 

He was just a $900 purchase and was well-prepared for Friday’s assignment as his hobby trainer had tested him in city grade on a few occasions before claiming the Colts, Geldings and Entires Maiden Plate over 1200 metres. 

“He had those two or three runs in town and I think he ran into a couple of smart ones in Deep Vegas and Barberry Spur, I think they are both horses who will go on with it,” the trainer said.

“I just put him in this race when they extended the nominations and I thought a Caloundra Soft 5, that is right up his alley.

“His cruising speed is so high and that is what we saw on Friday.

“He is such a big horse, he is 17 hands and nearly 600 kilograms.

“The sting out of the ground and it being Angela Jones' second ride on him, I think she knew him a lot better, as well.

“All the Astern’s, the breed, they are big and they can do a few things wrong, but he will furnish into a good horse.”

Batts owns the galloper himself as rides him in his trackwork, as well.

Out Of Turn will now go for a well-earned break for a few months as he has been in work since the middle of March. 

The trainer is keen for him to return in city grade later this year and believes he will be well-suited once he gets out to 1400 metres and a mile.

Leading metropolitan jockey Jones did the steering of Out Of Turn on Friday.

She felt after riding him at Doomben earlier this month that his return to Caloundra was key in the breakthrough performance. 

“With a horse being on their home track, that was the biggest thing I noticed about him from the last time I rode him to this,” she said

“They are always a little bit confident on their home track and they give you a better feel.

“I was pretty confident when I saw him in the mounting yard, he looked much fitter, and once I got a nice run, it was all over.”

Batts also has Island Lady in his team as the daughter of Astern is still searching for her maiden win after 14 attempts.