Manzelmann targets hometown Newmarket double

By Glenn Davis

It’s every country trainer’s dream to win a hometown feature and Lachie Manzelmann hopes to do it twice in the Mackay Newmarket on Friday.

Manzelmann won the 2024 edition of the Mackay Newmarket with Outback Action, who lines up against stablemate Red Hot Lizzie in this year’s 1300 metre feature.

“I can’t describe the feeling of winning the Newmarket two years ago,” Manzelmann said.

“It’s still my biggest win, but to do it when I only had four or five horses in work was unreal.

“It was even better when the pay cheque came in.”

Manzelmann is the son of former country trainer John Manzelmann and, like his father, started off in harness racing before taking out his thoroughbred licence in 2022.

“Dad virtually runs the operation outside of training,” Manzelmann said.

“I probably couldn’t do it without his help. He’s a hard worker and does a lot of driving to country race meetings.”

While the father-and-son pair are heavily involved in running their 40-horse stable, they’ll be in opposite corners for the Mackay Newmarket as Lachie owns Outback Action while John paid $600 for Red Hot Lizzie.

“Dad picked up Red Hot Lizzie after she had some problems in Brisbane and she’s been a super buy,” Manzelmann said.

Red Hot Lizzie narrowly missed winning the Rockhampton Newmarket at Callaghan Park last week when she was edged out by the Les Gordy-trained Demon Award.

“She’s come on in leaps and bounds recently and she won’t have any problems backing up,” Manzelmann said.

“She’s backed up before, so we’re rolling the dice and are hoping for the best.”

Manzelmann believes a second Mackay Newmarket would easily be the highlight of his career and he can’t separate his pair.

Outback Action has hit a purple patch of form after winning his past two starts.

“He won the Mackay Lightning two runs back and then won an Open sprint at Mackay on July 2,” Manzelmann said.

“It’s been a long journey to get Outback Action to fire again.

“He had won one race in two years when his form just fell away for some reason until he won the Lightning.”

Brisbane jockey Ron Stewart will partner Outback Action while Chris McIver retains the ride on Red Hot Lizzie, who finished a close-up sixth in the Battle of the Bush Final at Eagle Farm last month.