Mackay’s John Manzelmann after first Country Stampede title

By Glenn Davis  

Mackay’s John Manzelmann is a proud country trainer and is hopeful of maintaining his achievement of making every Final for the Country Cups Challenge and Country Stampede since their inception in 2020.

Manzelmann has already qualified Splasher for the Country Stampede Final at Doomben next month and will head to Home Hill on Saturday hoping either Cochrane or Mishani Rebel can join him.

The pair will clash with the Georgie Holt-trained Bold Kingston, who will be attempting to stretch his winning sequence to five, in the Country Stampede qualifier over 1180 metres.

Manzelmann is also trying to qualify recent Mackay winners The Driller and Lets Torque A Deel for the Country Cups Challenge Final.

The Country Stampede Final will be run over 1100 metres and carries prize money of $105,000 while the Country Cups Challenge Final is worth $200,000 and is run over 1600 metres on December 3.

Manzelmann has been a dominant force in country racing throughout the state for many years and has won the Queensland trainers’ premiership twice.

“I’ve haven’t missed a Final in either the Country Cups Challenge or Country Stampede and even the Battle Of The Bush since they were first run a few years ago,” Manzelmann said.

“Unfortunately, I’ve never won any of them but I have run second in the Country Cups Challenge and Country Stampede Finals.”

Manzelmann has booked Bonnie Thomson to ride Cochrane while apprentice Isabella Teh will partner Mishani Rebel in their Home Hill assignments.

Cochrane has more than paid his way since Manzelmann bought the son of Spirit Of Boom for $33,000 off Brisbane’s premier trainer Tony Gollan.

The four-year-old has only won twice in 26 starts but has been very consistent with 14 placings.

“He’s been very consistent since he’s been with me but he’s a bit of a non-winner, which is a concern,” Manzelmann said.

“He’s got all the ability in the world but just doesn’t produce it on race days.”

Cochrane is coming off a last start third behind the Steve Massingham-trained Never Cry in a 1250 metre Class 2 race at Cairns last month and is Manzelmann’s main hope.

Mishani Rebel has only won four times in 41 starts but also has been racing consistently with three placings from his past five starts.

However, he put in a mediocre performance last start beating one runner home in a field of six behind Tempo in a Benchmark race over 1290 metres at Cooktown last Saturday.