Bell chasing another spot in Country Stampede Final

By Glenn Davis

Country stalwart Glenda Bell will rely on two of her close friends to find her way to Brisbane for the Country Stampede Final at Doomben next month.

Bell jokingly admits she gets lost whenever she travels south from her home base at Emerald in Central Queensland.

The popular Bell has been training from Emerald for around 30 years other than a brief 12-month stint when she moved to Rockhampton.

Bell has already claimed one spot in the $105,000 Country Stampede Final on December 6 following the eight-year-old Writtle’s win in a qualifier at Blackall on October 18.

She will be looking for back-up when she launches a three-pronged attack from Just Super, Growl and The Squire in the Country Stampede qualifier at Moranbah on Saturday.

“It might sound funny but I’m hopeless at directions,” Bell said.

“I can drive a truck and I can find my way to Roma but that’s about all.

“I’ve got a satellite stable at Dysart and Bob White, who runs it for me, will drive me to Toowoomba then I’ve arranged for Toowoomba trainer Stephen Kirkwood to drive me to Brisbane for the Final.”

Bell can’t recall having a starter in the Country Stampede Final.

Bell's former galloper The Baker finished ninth to Deadly Choices in the Country Cups Challenge Final in 2019.

Bell has named Just Super - an Emma Bell ride - as her best hope of gaining another qualifier for the Country Stampede Final.

Just Super is yet to win in four starts for Bell since transferring from the Shane Sigvart stable in Rockhampton.

The six-year-old is a six-time winner from 31 starts and is coming off a last start fourth to the Bevan Johnson-trained Magical Slipper in a Country Stampede qualifier at Barcaldine last Saturday.

“He’s my best chance by far over the journey,” Bell said.

“It was only 1100 metres last start and he’s crying out for a distance like this.

“He drew a bad alley last start at Barcaldine and got back to last and he should have finished a lot closer.”

Bell was disappointed with Growl’s latest performance when he struggled to beat two home in the same race behind Magical Slipper.

“I thought he’d go a lot better and he was very disappointing,” she said.

“If he doesn’t win, I’ve got another chance at Clermont next week to get him into the Final.

“My other runner The Squire is an old rogue who finished eighth in the same race at Barcaldine last start. He never had much luck and he had a new jockey on him last time.”

Bell has a team of 18 horses in work at Emerald.