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Manzelmann clan set for epic Townsville Cup showdown

1 August 2024

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Trainer John Manzelmann and hoop Ashley Butler after winning the Battle of the Bush at Eagle Farm with Tiger Legend.

Headline image: Joshua Manzelmann and Such A Whit's connections after a win Picture: Saskia Photography.
 

By Glenn Davis

Family bragging rights will be at stake when the Manzelmann clan from Mackay lock horns in the Townsville Cup for the first time at Cluden Park on Saturday.

Leading country racing trainer John Manzelmann will pit his skills against younger cousin, Joshua, in the 2000 metre feature.

John Manzelmann will saddle I Say Boom while Joshua launches a two-pronged attack with Fortified and Such A Whit.

Joshua Manzelmann Next Racing
Beau Rain
Such A Whit
John Manzelmann Next Racing

The Manzelmanns have clashed many times on a racetrack, but Joshua is yet to have a Townsville Cup starter while John has etched his name in North Queensland folklore with four Cup victories.

He claimed his first Townsville Cup with Flying Test in 2009 before collecting further trophies with More More More (2013), Payteevee (2014) and Shiranda in 2020.

The 25-year-old Joshua has been training for six years and prepares a team of 20 while running his feed merchant business in Mackay.

He is confident both Fortified and Such a Whit will be competitive in his bid to add his name to the Townsville Cup honour board.

Trainer John Manzelmann and hoop Ashley Butler after winning the Battle of the Bush at Eagle Farm with Tiger Legend.

“I think Fortified is the best of my two chances,” Joshua said.

“He’s been working really well and he’s a good chance if he gets the right run for Lacey Morrison.

“He’s got a bit of weight relief this time with 52kgs, which is two kilograms less than what he won with last time.”

Morrison has been in excellent form and rode a treble at Townsville last Sunday including the Townsville Guineas on the Bill Kenning-trained Beau Rain.

Fortified has won three of his past four starts including a decisive victory over the Georgie Holt-trained rival Mooloolaba in his maiden 2000 metre win at Townsville on July 20.

Such A Whit also beat his Townsville Cup rival Mooloolaba over 1609 metres at Cluden Park three starts back and is coming off a last start eighth when he beat one home in the H.L. Black Memorial Open Handicap over 1800 metres at Mackay last Friday.

“I was looking at the Mackay race as a guide to see if he could run 2000 metres and I think he can,” Joshua said.

Meanwhile, John Manzelmann has booked Isabella Teh to ride I Say Boom who went down narrowly last start to the Clinton Taylor-trained Kick On Command in the H.L. Black Memorial Open Handicap at Mackay.