Chocolatier hoping to land KO in Cup
RACING: Having a runner in a feature event on Weetwood day is the stuff dreams are made of.
Corey Geran will get to live that out on Saturday, when the co-trainer saddles up Chocolatier with mother Kylie in the $125,000 TAB Toowoomba Cup (2000m).
“It’s really good to have a horse in the race. To have one in your home town cup is amazing,” he said.
“That’s why we bought him, to target a few of the nicer races.
“It’s been a good week with the barrier draw and Calcutta on Friday. There’s a good atmosphere and the (Toowoomba) Turf Club does a good job of making you feel valued.”
The seven-year-old has enjoyed a unique path to make his way to Toowoomba.
He started out with the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott team, when a bold front running display saw him romp home in the 2019 Bathurst Cup.
This was followed up with a stint in Newcastle with Jason Deamer, before making the move north.
Three fair runs over unsuitable distances were backed up by his first success for the new camp, finishing too strong in the Race Caller’s Cup here a fortnight ago.
“He steps up in grade a lot from what he’s been in, but you only have to look at his form prior in Sydney.
“The Bathurst Cup is a race pretty similar to something like this, and he gets down to 54kg which is a weight he rarely gets.
“He’s an on pacer that can roll along or just sit off the speed. He suits Clifford Park
“He will be a roughie, but he’s the best roughie that I’ve sent around. I think he’ll relish the 2000m.
“It took a while for him to come right when we first got him. We worked him a bit too hard and it took us a while to work him out.
“He likes to be a bit fresh. He worked well on the course proper on Tuesday and was as good as I’ve seen him.”
The Toowoomba Cup wasn’t always the first priority, with a bush feature initially on the minds of connections.
“We initially bought him to go to Birdsville,” Geran said.
“We were planning a trip with (part owner) Kobie (O’Brien) and a few of the boys in the ownership. Covid came and stuffed us up.
“He’s a front runner and since we’ve worked him out, the mile probably would’ve been too short for him.”
Team Geran will also have Invincore entered on the day in the Moore Trailers Benchmark 70 Handicap (1000m).
The six-year-old is having his first run for the stable, previously being under the care of Toby and Trent Edmonds
“He’s a new one having his first start for us. We haven’t had him all that long, and he’s a sprinter we have lined up for some country features,” he said.
“It’s only a 70 and he’s quite a fast horse. He should roll along and be in it for a very long way.
“He’s a quality horse that was a $300,000 purchase as a yearling. There’s plenty of body and scope about him.”