Tiger Legend poised to qualify for Battle Of The Bush Final

By Glenn Davis

The old catch cry - he’s travelled more miles than Burke and Wills - could well apply to John Manzelmann’s star sprinter Tiger Legend.

Tiger Legend heads off for his latest jaunt from his Mackay base to Thangool in Central Queensland, just a short five-and-a-half-hour road trip or almost 500 kilometres to Thangool.

Now a five-year-old, Tiger Legend has travelled to many parts of Queensland, including as far north to Home Hill and south for the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup in January.

He also raced in Sydney for his previous trainer Les Bridge while he travelled overseas and had two starts in Hong Kong before returning home.

The reason for his latest trip away is the Battle Of The Bush qualifier over 1200 metres at Thangool on Saturday.

Tiger Legend has already met one of the stringent qualifying conditions for the Battle Of The Bush Final by having started five times at non-TAB country meetings.

“He’s met the conditions to have five runs at non-TAB meetings, now he’s just got to win a heat,” Manzelmann said.

A son of Better Than Ready, Tiger Legend will be ridden by Tasha Chambers and is coming off a last start second to the Raymond Williams-trained Lily Allez in an Open Plate over 1000 metres at Home Hill.

Tiger Legend is certainly no bunny having won three times in just 11 starts since Manzelmann bought him at an online auction for $35,000.

“His last run at Home Hill was very good. It was just too short for him,” Manzelmann said.

Manzelmann has an uncanny knack of turning cast-offs from other stables into success stories and Tiger Legend is another in a long list.

“I haven’t had any problems with him since I got him but $35,000 is still a lot of money,” Manzelmann said.

Before Manzelmann picked him up, Tiger Legend had four starts for Bridge after starting his career in Brisbane with champion trainer Tony Gollan.

Tiger Legend was a star early two-year-old for Gollan winning two of his first three starts before joining the Bridge stable following his third win for the premier Brisbane trainer in the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate at Doomben in 2022.

Manzelmann is confident Tiger Legend can win the Battle Of The Bush qualifier to give him his latest chance to win the Final at Eagle Farm in late June.

“He’ll be in the finish right up to his eye balls,” he said.

“He’s a pretty good horse.”

Manzelmann has tried to win the Battle Of The Bush every year since its inception in 2018 but is yet to claim the feature.