Smart Legend chasing golden ticket into Townsville Cup

By Glenn Davis

The battle for the Townsville trainer’s premiership will go down to the wire at Cluden Park on Saturday with leader Stephen Massingham hopeful of claiming his first title.

Massingham holds a one-win lead over last season’s winner Georgie Holt for the Townsville trainer’s title.

The Townsville meeting is the last for the season at Cluden Park and Massingham is hopeful of hanging on to his slender lead with six starters while Holt has a massive 10 runners.

“I’m one in front and hopefully it'll stay that way,” Massingham said.

The Townsville title won’t be the only point of interest for Massingham who is hopeful former Sydney galloper Smart Legend can win a golden ticket into the $150,000 Townsville Cup over 2000 metres next month.

Smart Legend lines up in the Winter Cup over 2000 metres with the winner exempt from a ballot for the Townsville Cup on August 9.

The rising six-year-old had his first start for Massingham when a fading fourth in the Magnetic Island Mile at Townsville on July 6.

Massingham won the Townsville Cup in 2019 with his former star The Harrovian who was owned by Tom Hedley.

Hedley also owns Smart Legend after he paid $45,000 for the son of So You Think.

“He hadn’t been in the stable for long when he had his first run for me,” Massingham said.

“His first run was good, but he over raced with blinkers on and he went too hard.

“I’ve taken them off for this run.”

Massingham believes Smart Legend - a Sean Cormack mount - will struggle to get a run in the Townsville Cup with his low rating and needs to win to gain automatic entry.

“He only carried 54.5kgs last start but that was because the weights were compressed,” he said.

“He’s down in the ratings at the moment so he’ll probably need to win to get into the Townsville Cup.

“He’s only a Class 5 horse but a lot of the others in this are still eligible for restricted grade, as well.”

Massingham has been training since 2009 and has won several trainer’s premiership in his hometown in Cairns, but a Townsville title has eluded him

“If he can win the Winter Cup he’ll run in the Townsville Cup and then come home for the Cairns Cup," he said.

“Georgie’s runner, Tambo’s Justice, looks the one to beat as he won impressively in Townsville last start.”