By Jordan Gerrans
Still going as good as ever, bush racing stalwart Hanover Square is now aiming to add a Country Stampede crown to his already impressive resume.
The Manhattan Rain gelding has been targeted towards Country Cup Challenge qualifiers of late but has been freshened up in recent weeks and will now look towards the Stampede qualifier in Chinchilla this Saturday.
The Leonard Mawn-trained eight-year-old has been a star of regional racing in Queensland over the last few years, winning the 2019 edition of the Battle of the Bush as well as being beaten in a photo-finish for the 2019 Cleveland Bay Handicap at Cluden Park.
Hanover Square has gone through a number of trainers in recent years and is now back in the stable of his original Queensland-based trainer and part-owner Mawn.
With almost $260,000 in prize money in the bank, the bay gelding has battled a foot issue over the last year but Mawn believes there is still good racing left in his stable star.
“He is a beauty,” Mawn, who goes by the name Michael socially instead of Leonard, said.
“Even this preparation, he has been absolutely flying until he got that stone bruise.
“When he does finish up, I will ensure he will go to a good home or he will stay with us forever, he will not just be going anywhere – I know that.
“He is going as good as he has ever went, he has just had that foot issue.”
Hanover Square wrote his named into the record books back in 2019, claiming the BOTB Final at Eagle Farm at big odds under hoop Michael Cahill.
Trainer Bevan Johnson, now based at Moranbah, had Hanover Square in his care for just a few weeks, winning a BOTB qualifier at Barcaldine with the gelding before getting the prize in town.
He also won a race in Brisbane when with Rockhampton trainer John Wigginton in late 2019.
Mawn trained the nine-time career winner before and after the BOTB Final, with the gelding going to Johnson for that period with Mawn busy with work commitments.
Having won up to 1470 metres in his career, Mawn is unsure how he will be suited to 1030 metres on his current home track on Saturday afternoon but expects him to be running on late.
“He is more of a miler and we had him set for the Country Cups Challenge but he got that stone bruise and he has missed 12-14 days of work,” he said.
“We thought dropping him back to the Country Stampede distance would suit him better as he has missed some work.
“He has had a chequered past and he can win over 1000 metres fresh.
“It is not beyond him; he will not be stopping late as he loves being fresh.”