Massingham looks to Johnstone River Handicap

By Glenn Davis

Cairns trainer Stephen Massingham is resigned to having to wait another year to secure a berth in a Country Stampede Final in Brisbane.

Massingham will saddle up former Sydneysider All Time Legend in the Country Stampede qualifier at Innisfail on Saturday and is hopeful the eight-year-old can win.

The qualifier doubles as the Johnstone River Handicap, which is a local sprint feature. 

However, All Time Legend can’t make the $105,000 Final at Doomben next month even if he’s successful at Innisfail.

Part of the Country Stampede qualifying conditions is that a horse needs to have started at five non-TAB meetings in the past 12 months before the November Final at Doomben.

“Unfortunately, I haven’t had a horse good enough to go down to Brisbane for those country features in past years,” Massingham said.

“All Time Legend is a pretty good horse though and he’ll run a big race but he won’t being going down if he wins as this is his first start at a non-TAB race.”

Massingham is yet to saddle up a starter in either of the two country spring features, the Country Stampede and Country Cups Challenge Finals, in Brisbane since their inception a few years ago.

Massingham, last year’s winner of the Cairns trainer’s premiership, has only been to Brisbane twice with a runner.

“I sent The Harrovian down when he won at Eagle Farm four years ago before Toby Edmonds took him over,” Massingham said.

“The only other horse I’ve started in Brisbane was Full Recognition who was beaten at Doomben in May.”

While Massingham is disappointed he won’t have a runner in the Country Stampede Final this year, he has big plans in mind for All Time Legend.

The eight-year-old is part of the huge Tom Hedley racing team and was bought at an Inglis online auction after he ran at Rosehill in December, 2022.

“I spoke to his previous trainer Les Bridge before we bought him and he said he was a Group 2 horse before he had a throat operation after his last Sydney run,” Massingham said.

“He’s got loads of ability and obviously has had a breathing problem in the past but since he’s been with me, I’ve just kept him to short races and I don’t work him too much.

“He might not be in the Country Stampede Final but if he wins, I might put him away and target the winter carnival here next year with him.”