Second Mackay Newmarket caps off Manzelmann's red letter day

By Glenn Davis

It was a red-letter day for young trainer Lachie Manzelmann who produced a career highlight with his second Newmarket Handicap at Mackay last Friday.

Manzelmann, 26, notched up his biggest win of his short career winning the Mackay Newmarket two years ago with Outback Action and was daring to dream of capturing a second hometown victory this year.

Not only did he win with Rockhampton Newmarket runner-up Red Hot Lizzie, he ran the quinella in the 1300-metre feature when stablemate Outback Action flew home to finish second, just over two lengths away.

Manzelmann also claimed the other Mackay feature, the H L Black Memorial Open with seven-year-old Journalism which was the first leg of a winning treble on the eight-event program.

Red Hot Lizzie has been a bargain buy for Manzelmann’s father, John, who picked her up for a paltry $600 when put up for sale on-line.

She was previously trained at Eagle Farm in Brisbane by the father-and-son training partnership of Chris and Corey Munce.

“Dad’s a freak getting Red Hot Lizzie for $600 and I think he needs to shout me a beer,” Manzelmann said.

“While Dad owns Red Hot Lizzie, I own Outback Action.

“I thought Outback Action ran a super race after being caught three deep but Red Hot Lizzie was too good.”

Red Hot Lizzie will now be set for the $100,000 Cleveland Bay Handicap over 1300 metres at Townsville on August 8.

“She’s got two more runs left,” Manzelmann said.

“She’ll go to Townsville now for the Cleveland Bay, then the Cairns Newmarket.”

Manzelmann has a team of 40 in work at Mackay after merging his stable with his father’s barn last October but he had no time for celebrations following his big day out.

“We’ve been a bit short staffed and by the time we got home and finished feeding, the only thing that was open was Maccas,” Manzelmann said.

Manzelmann will follow the same path to the Cleveland Bay and Cairns Newmarket with Outback Action who has turned his form around in recent months with two wins and three placings from his past six starts.

“Red Hot Lizzie couldn’t have been more convincing but I was proud of Outback Action who had a tough run,” Manzelmann said.

“He’ll probably follow the same path as Red Hot Lizzie and go to the Cleveland Bay next but I can’t see him beating her.

“We might end up being the bridesmaid again.”