North Queensland powerhouse heads south for family

By Jordan Gerrans

The leading North Queensland Holt stable will have family time in mind, rather than city racing ambitions, when it relocates to Caloundra later this year.

Led by trainer Georgie Holt and jockey husband Aidan, the stable has a stranglehold on the current Cluden Park trainers' premiership, which would add to their two previous local titles.

After establishing themselves as a major force across Central and North Queensland over the past decade, the Holts will soon make the move south to the Sunshine Coast.

Having dominated in the north of the state, many trainers would relish the opportunity to test themselves in the metropolitan ranks of South East Queensland.

But, Georgie insists that the southern shift will be about more time with their two children, rather than chasing glory at Eagle Farm. 

“One of the very many reasons of wanting to move is just to try and have some time with the kids,” Georgie said.

“My parents have moved down there to the Sunshine Coast. We will scale right back with our horses.

“Obviously, we're not going down there thinking we're going to be big competitors.

“It's a huge game down there filled with plenty of brilliant trainers, but it's more the lifestyle for us that we hope to have with the move down there.

"It'll be a bit better on us and the kids.”

The two main features in Townsville – the local Cup and the Cleveland Handicap – have eluded the Holt stable over the last decade, but they have claimed an array of other feature events, as well as the local premierships.

They won the Northern Jewel QTIS 3YO Handicap in 2024, the Townsville Lightning the year prior as well as the time-honoured local QTIS 2YO Classic with Dance For Me Randy in 2024, among others.

The Holts currently have 21 in work in Townsville and expect to lower that number when they shift into their boxes at Caloundra. 

The 35-year-old Holt is honest in her assessment with many of her current stable that they are unlikely to measure up in South East Queensland. 

Smart youngster Better Blitzem, who has won five from eight starts, will likely headline their southern team, alongside a few others. 

Holt estimates they are likely to have around 10 in work when they officially kick off at the Sunshine Coast later this year. 

“We don't plan on having too many horses down there,” she said.

“There's not a whole heap we can take with us. I would never say never after having more horses again, but we will just start off slow and find our feet and stuff first.

"We'll just have a few, as it's up to our owners, obviously, whether they want to have horses down there with us or not.

“We will look at where each horse is at and whether they're worthy of taking down. We don't expect to take horses down just to have numbers

"They've got to warrant going down there for the owners to pay for it all.

“There are a couple of younger ones that might come through that could have a crack.

“There's quite a number of things that we need to work out still. The numbers will be very limited.”

While Georgie is likely to wind down her stable numbers at Caloundra, husband Aidan will go the other way. 

Aidan is having a renaissance season in the saddle after getting his weight under control. 

The 31-year-old rode in the city earlier in his career before he battled with his weight. 

He has 80 winners to his name for the 2025-26 campaign, which is more victories than in his last seven combined seasons. 

“There is an opportunity for Aidan to ride more hopefully, it's the right time to go,” Georgie said.

“He doesn't have expectations to be rolling into Eagle Farm every Saturday. He's happy to ride in the bush if he's got to.

“He's just happy to be riding again and having another crack at riding in South East Queensland.

“For a long time, it was very much in doubt that he ever would ride again at all.

“He's never wanted to do anything else. 

"This has always been the number one thing that he's wanted to do in his life and it's just come with a lot of challenges.

“But, now, I think we've found a niche to things and it'd be nice to see him have another crack down there.”

The Holt stable head to Mackay Turf Club on Friday with Colleano in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1300 metres.

Colleano has had three runs for Holt, for two placings, since transferring north from Matthew Hoysted.

The Mackay program is headlined by the feature Newmarket, which will be run with $75,000 on offer.