Former Kiwi galloper Nikau Spur has provided Toowoomba trainers Corey and Kylie Geran with their first stakes success when running out a dominant winner of the Listed Queensland Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The eight-year-old son of Proisir has finished runner-up in the past two editions of the Toowoomba Cup (2000m), including a checkered-run when second at to Red Wave prior to Saturday’s triumph.
Ridden by James Orman, Nikau Spur came from midfield and took inside runs to score by three lengths.
“It’s a huge thrill. Obviously that is our first stakes winner as a trainer,” Corey Geran said.
“We have been the bridesmaid so many times now that I didn’t think it was ever going to come but it has happened.
“He is just a marvel. I love this horse. He is my favourite horse and it is so much of a team effort and a big thanks to my parents and co-trainer my mum, who is at Warwick today.
“I couldn’t and wouldn’t do it without them and I wouldn’t do it without the people in this horse.
“A big thanks to Kobe O’Brien, who is no longer in the ownership but Grant Goodrum, one of my best mates has taken over and he gets his first stakes winner today as well, so thanks Grant.
“It was very bitter-sweet to not win the home-town Cup with him over the past two years, as it is a race you want to win, but to do this with this horse is pretty special.”
Nikau Spur was initially trained in New Zealand by Rosie Buchanan for whom he placed in his only raceday start at Awapuni before he caught the eye of Ciaron Maher’s bloodstock manager Will Bourne, and a deal was negotiated to secure the talented galloper.
The winner of three races for Maher, Nikau Spur has won a further five races for the Gerans and has now surpassed A$500,000 in career earnings.
Winning rider James Orman said the inside barrier had been an assist.
“It worked out well and the barrier certainly helped,” he said. “I wanted to be a lot closer and I gave him a squeeze to do it and I was regretting that decision around the back when he was pulling.
“For a horse like him to sprint like that, he really sprinted quickly. For a stayer he really sprinted fast.”
By Proisir out of the stakes winning Ustinov mare Sarsarun, Nikau Spur was bred by Hallmark Stud and the Springvale Family Trust.
