Bodacious team riding The Wave

By Jordan Gerrans

The word ‘bodacious’ is probably as fitting as any when it comes to evaluating Kurt Goldman and Arts Object’s time being based in the Sunshine State.

The dictionary defines bodacious as remarkable or outstanding.

Goldman’s stable star Arts Object is owned by a syndicate named ‘Bodacious’ and it is fair to say they have been on a remarkable ride with the mare over the last year or so.

Now a five-year-old, Arts Object is the reigning champion of The Wave – which she will try and defend on Saturday – as well as claiming the Listed Tails Stakes and racing at black-type level throughout 2024.

Formerly based at Goulburn, Goldman has made the Gold Coast home in recent times and it has proved to be a winning decision from the former farrier.

Goldman believes Arts Object is going as well as she was this time last year when she shocked punters to land The Wave at $51.

With more than $600,000 in the kitty already, it would be outstanding for the Bodacious team to land another blow at the Gold Coast this Saturday.

“There is a really good ownership group in her and it has been an exciting time,” Goldman said of Arts Object.

“She has made me look pretty good with the move to Queensland.”

Arts Object’s connections are headed by Sky Racing form analyst and jockey manager Paul Joice.

The popular Joice is an expert when it comes to tipping roughies to win on the country and provincial circuit in Queensland and he is enjoying a marvellous ride with his mare.

The Goldman and Joice team have been together for years and they have become close mates over the journey as well, regularly on the golf course together, out fishing and obviously talking racing.

“She has been the best horse I have owned, that is for sure,” Joice said of Arts Object.

“We have had a lot of fun with her as we have won some big races.

“We had to work through the grades to get there. She has surprised us a couple of times at really big odds on those ‘grand final’ races.”

However, Arts Object has proved to be a tricky horse for Joice to catch on the tip.

There has been occasions where he has put her on top in his selections and she hasn’t figured in the finish.

On the other hand, he has gone to the races at times thinking she was little chance and they have walked away with the prize – which is exactly what happened on ‘Wave day’ last year.

She also won at $41 two starts back in the Listed Tails.

When Goldman was in the infancy of his training career more than a decade ago, Joice was one of his first owners, which helped propel his career to where it is today.

“Early on they must have noticed a young trainer that was doing well and they acquired a few tried horses and sent them down to me,” the trainer said of Joice and his owners. 

“We had a lot of luck early on, I think I trained the very first winner he ever owned.

“It has been pretty special and along the way he has introduced me to his racing friends and family – they all have come into horses. It has been an enjoyable ride.”

Landing The Wave on his new home track last year was a perfect way for Goldman to announce his venture in Queensland to the wider racing community.

“Winning these ‘grand final’ type races is something I have always strived to do and I have had a lot of success in the past doing that with some handy horses,” Goldman said.

“She is no exception. I think I have finally found out how to train her properly and to get her to peak on the day, which was great as we obviously did last year.

“This time in, I deliberately set out this program that she would be hitting The Wave fourth-up into her campaign.

“If she did anything in the stakes races before The Wave – that would be an added bonus – and her winning a Listed race two starts ago is obviously very good.

“It just shows how good a form she has been in and she has continued to improve from that run the other day, which is exciting.”

Goldman was previously the private trainer for former Australian rugby player Alan Cardy, who passed away in 2021.

Cardy’s death left Goldman scratching his head about where he was headed in racing and he eventually landed on Queensland after campaigning gallopers north in recent years.

It has been a resounding success.

Arts Object is a special horse to Goldman for the feature victories she has provided his team.

But, she is also the last galloper Cardy had with him before he passed away so she will also always continue that link to his former stable owner.

As well as claiming the 2024 The Wave and the Tails Stakes, Goldman is striking at a career-best 22.7 per cent in the 2024-25 season and has a nice crop of babies he is working with.

“I am really happy with that decision and I have really enjoyed the first 18 months here,” Goldman said.

“It has obviously been a breakout season for myself as when I was training privately, I always had the horses that we would go to the sales and acquire.

“I wasn’t able to take horses from other breeders and owners so I was quite restricted in what I could do. I had a business model in mind and how I wanted to structure it and I think it has worked out really well.

“The results have been good – we have had a really good start to this season – and we are starting to see those young horses who came into the system 12 months ago, they are starting to get to the races now.”

Arts Object tackles The Wave this Saturday before likely backing up on Magic Millions day and will then head for a break before a 2025 Brisbane winter campaign.

“When she is on song, she is obviously top class,” Joice said.

The Goldman stable will also have Indubitably go around on Saturday as the in-form filly will tackle the Magic Millions Rising Stars 3YO and 4YO Fillies and Mares Class 4 Plate over 1300 metres.

Indubitably will also likely back-up in seven days’ time.