Bolter Spearheads First Double for Lachie

Young Mackay trainer Lachie Manzelmann was pinching himself after  landing a major upset with bolter King Jester and his first winning double at Cluden Park on Friday.

Almost two years to the day since he first started training, Manzelmann’s King Jester ($26) stunned a small but quality line-up in a tight three way finish in the Ladbrokes Open Hcp (1000m).

Four races later he was in the winners’ stall again, this time with Brasco ($10) after claiming the Cutlers Diesel C4 Hcp (1300m).

“That’s my first double and it was here in Townsville which is good. It’s always hard to win races here because you’ve got to take on Georgie Holt and the Hedley horses. 

“I actually thought all three of mine had a winning chance and Nano Star was my best of the day, and she was the only one that got rolled.

“The first bloke King Jester I thought he was a chance but I just wasn’t sure he could beat those other horses.

“But I was pretty confident Brasco could win because he’s fitter and he’s been knocking on the door. I couldn’t believe he was 10-1.”

Manzelmann, a son of Hall Of Fame trainer John, has now landed 24 career winners and has built up to a team of 11 horses in work.

King Jester, a former Cairns Horse of the Year, came into his care six months ago, but had posted three poor runs before Friday’s shock win.

A freshen up and easier training regime was the key to his form turnaround according to Manzelmann.

“His form looked terrible. He ran well at his first start for us in Innisfail but I pushed him too much to try and qualify for the Stampede in Brisbane and he just didn’t handle it,” Manzelmann said.

”His last run he went awful on the dirt in Moranbah and that’s when we pulled the pin on that idea.

“He had about five weeks freshen up and then trialled super in Rocky, only a couple of lengths behind Hell so he had a chance on that.

“The horse was a pretty cheap buy on the Inglis site.

“His owner Lucas Seymour has got quite a few horses with me and came up today, so it was great for him to be here to enjoy it.

“The speed map worked out perfectly and Jackson Murphy rode him a treat, taking all the inside runs. He only went around one horse and that was in the last 50m.”

King Jester was last in the field of six early in a fast run race, and relished his light weight of 54kg to cut down Bold Type (59.5kg) and the courageous Smart Image (66.5kg) to win in the final few strides.

In-form Jockey Adam Sewell landed his second winning double in as many Cluden meetings with wins on Brasco and Rockhampton visitor Mimmy’s Secret.

Promising three-year-old Tambo’s Justice, ridden by Ryan Wiggins, continued his winning form with his third win from as many starts and is now likely to spell.

Wiggins also won on Well Held for Rockhampton trainer Clinton Taylor and Flying Artist for Stephen Massingham.

Townsville jockey Graham Kliese hit form again with a popular win on the Tony Comerford-trained Ultimate. Kiese has now ridden 1273 winners, 612 on the Cluden track.