IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published by the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports on the amazing rise of Townsville Amateur Cup winner Sarbi which two years ago was a flop at the picnic.
He also reports on the success story of North Queensland Cups King, John Manzelmann, who led in the first five runners in the Townsville Amateur Cup.
Butts also reports on a ‘ring-in’ of sorts at the Mackay Beach meeting where it seems officials are allowed to bend the rules while he warns of a ticking time-bomb in the north if Racing Queensland doesn’t address much needed track and stabling work in Townsville.
A METEORIC RISE FROM PICNIC FLOP TO CUP WINNER AT TOWNSVILLE AMATEURS
JUST two months ago he ran fifth in a weak 1700m race at Alpha.
Two years ago he was beaten in a lowly Class 2 at the Ewan grass-feds.
Last year he didn’t go to Ewan. He went instead to Twin Hills for the two-day picnic meeting that is run on the same weekend and like Ewan caters for those that can’t win at the professional meetings.
And this horse was beaten on both days – in four-horse fields.
Last Saturday (and mind you, 42 starts after his Ewan defeat 24 months ago) he won the Townsville Amateur Cup.
Sarbi – is he an iron horse or what?
And not a soul in the country would decry the Mackay galloper the win.
He was not just part of the John Manzelmann quintet – he not only provided the quinella, trifecta and first four, but also, incredibly, the first five placegetters in the 12-horse Cup field.
The more favoured stable starter – recent Townsville and Cairns Cups winner More More More surprisingly finished fifth.
JOHN MANZELMANN THE CUPS KING OF COUNTRY RACING IN QUEENSLAND
MELBOURNE has its Moody, Sydney has its Waller. In country Queensland the one they toast more often is our very own Cups King John Manzelmann, who, in only a few years, has rewritten the record books completely.
Mackay-born and bred, John was a leading harness racing identity until the demise of that code a few years ago. He made the switch to training gallopers and in spite of some untraditional training methods he has been an instant and outstanding success.
He seldom goes to the course for track work. He prefers to hitch his horses to a home-made cart – 10 at a time – and work them around his property not far from Mackay Airport.
He does his own shoeing – up to 30 horses in regular training – and seldom misses a race meeting from Gladstone to Townsville, sometimes further north and out west to Emerald.
He has to date trained over 300 winners in six years.
And in between this amazing result, the 42-year-old has bravely fought a form of Leukaemia that at one stage had him in a Brisbane hospital on the critical list. He was not expected to be discharged, let alone emerge as one of the most hands-on leading trainers in the country.
A bloke who trains, shoes and carts horses all over country Queensland, and if he thinks they are good enough, will head down the highway to Brisbane 1000km away.
But his feat on Saturday was something else.
The first five place-getters in the Townsville Amateur Cup followed the wins of More More More in the Townsville and Cairns Cups in which Sarbi was runner-up.
NEED FOR TOWNSVILLE AMATEURS TO BE REVITALIZED IS BEING ADDRESSED
THERE has been a distinct lack of depth in the class of stayers contesting the northern Cups this year which highlights the need for the Townsville Amateurs to be revitalised as a carnival venue.
Moves in that direction are already in place.
Don’t be surprised to see the Townville Turf Club take over the meeting (as has happened in Cairns in recent years) and it makes sense, as a succession of secretaries and presidents of the Townsville Amateur Club has seen the meeting slip off the radar in recent times.
Townsville Amateurs was once regarded as the best meeting in North Queensland with horses and visitors converging on Cluden from Georgetown to Longreach and all stops in between.
It all came to a sudden end the day that Equine Influenza struck and the club never recovered.
It needs a major sponsor, the TTC and support from Racing Queensland to regain its former status. A change of date and even a change of distance for the Cup might be considered.
Being wedged in between the $100,000 Townsville Cup and Cairns Amateurs is not good, especially for the pittance being offered in prizemoney.
Saturday John Manzelmann’s horses finished in the first five places in the Cup and he took home a paltry $20,000 – and risks a penalty for the $50,000 Cairns Amateur Cup.
It is pathetic really.
WALDERSON D’AVILA RIDES THE PROGRAM AT ATHERTON ON SUNDAY
IT wasn’t only the Manzelmann quintet that racing followers in the north were talking about from the weekend.
Tablelands jockey Walderson D’Avila, the South American native who has made a name for himself in North Queensland, rode the program at Atherton on Sunday, which must rank as his most notable achievement since relocating here.
D’Avila, who normally has the pick of rides for the powerful Roy Chillemi stable, rode two winners for the ‘boss’ and others for Paula d’Addona, Fred Weiland and Bradley Furber.
WHILE NEW TOOWOOMBA TRACK IS FULL STEAM AHEAD TOWNSVILLE JUST WAITS
THE Townsville Turf Club still awaits word on the proposed new track and on-course stabling it says is so urgently needed.
The Racing Queensland Board is due to meet this week when these issues are set down for discussion.
From there the recommendations will go to the three codes Board (next month), so it would appear the future of Cluden is still very much on hold.
It is vital for work to commence as soon as possible so it can be completed and ready for the beginning of the dry season.
Licensees also need to make plans for when the track is closed. It was hoped that work would commence immediately after the Amateurs but already those hopes have been torpedoed, or at least stalled while Toowoomba goes full speed ahead with its totally unwarranted and unnecessary new grass track.
And Townsville waits while politicians burst into town promising a brand new footy stadium cum entertainment centre.
Be told, If Cluden doesn’t get the new track and on- course stabling there is a real danger of changes that will have a serious and deleterious effect on racing – not only in Townsville – but all of the north.
ORGANIZERS OF MACKAY BEACH MEETING ACCUSED OF ‘BENDING’ THE RULES
IT would seem that beach and quarter horse racing is not all beer and skittles.
There is some confusion (even the word ring-in is being mentioned in some quarters) concerning a recent event up north.
It all started when Suzie Fearon, an accomplished Townsville-based horsewoman rang to nominate her speedy quarter horse, Vicky, for the Beach Races at Mackay last weekend.
According to Suzie, promoter Mick Pope told her nominations had closed and the official program had been printed.
However, Suzie said that Pope had told her there was a scratching and that if she was prepared to call her horse Savannah Secret (the one that was scratched) and had it ridden under the name of Savannah Secret’s nominator, Kate Benedict, then it could run.
So she did and won the heat. She then finished fourth in the final but connections of the third placegetter protested that the first two over the line were registered as Racing Quarter Horses and therefore ineligible.
But it has since been ascertained that the beach races are open to all horses of all shapes and sizes whether they are registered or not.
ZIP THE LIP AN APTLY NAMED WINNER AT THE TOWNSVILLE AMATEURS
BACK to the Amateurs where spring is in the air, and while there is no talk yet of wedding bells, those close to the stable are waiting, some impatiently for news along that line.
And especially after Joe Hassett landed her second winner in two days at the Amateurs with aptly named Zip The Lip.
Those watching on SKY are sure the lips were totally unzipped when she and long-time beau Tony Comerford exchanged a long lasting celebratory kiss and cuddle when the number went in to the frame.
Good on ‘em.
COLUMN COURTESY OF TERRY BUTTS AND THE NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, one of Australia's leading rural newspapers.
TERRY BUTTS can be contacted by e-mailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
