Since its inception in 2018, the Battle Of The Bush has become the ultimate prize for Queensland’s country trainers, offering a rare chance to shine on the big stage.
The concept has brought well-deserved attention to non-TAB racing across the state, and in 2025, Ladbrokes once again proudly steps up as sponsor of the $200,000 feature.
Mackay trainer John Manzelmann, who took out last year’s Battle Of The Bush with Tiger Legend, returns in 2025 with Hearsay as he aims to go back-to-back in the race known as the “Bush Group 1”.
The trainer-jockey duo of Pat Webster and Leslie ‘Bubba’ Tilley has proven formidable in Queensland’s country features, having teamed up to win last year’s Country Cups Final with Skyforger and finishing runner-up in 2023 with Office Jim. While they’ve yet to crack the top spot in the Battle Of The Bush, they’ll be hoping to change that this year with Invahir as they reunite for another tilt at the title.
Held on Tattersall’s Tiara Day at Eagle Farm, the race gives the connections of 16 regional qualifiers a chance to showcase their talent in front of the metropolitan racing elite.
For punters, it’s often a tricky puzzle to solve, so we’ve taken a deep dive into the form to help you find the winner of Saturday’s Ladbrokes Battle Of The Bush Final. (Prices current at time of publish)
1. Han Dynasty (15)
2. Real Key (16)
Price: $5.50
The Mark Cochrane-trained son of Bon Hoffa earned his spot in the final with a win in the Emerald qualifying race two starts ago.
He enjoyed the run of the race, smoking his pipe just off the speed, before getting a rails run in the straight and charging home the final 100m to win comfortably by just under a length.
The evergreen 10-year-old tuned up for his grand final with an impressive display at Thangool last start where he came around the field on the home turn before producing a powerful finishing burst to put his rivals to the sword and win the 1300m contest by 2.7 lengths.
One of Queensland’s best jockeys, Ryan Maloney takes the ride, and he’ll need to call upon all his talent to guide Real Key from the wide draw.
He has drifted slightly since opening as favourite and I’d suggest you could get a better price closer to jump given others will enjoy more favourable runs, but with the likely speed he’ll be charging home.
3. Elusive Eagle (7)
Price: $31.00
The Barry Sheppard-trained gelding was the first horse to qualify for this year’s Battle Of The Bush when he won the Goondiwindi qualifier on his home track.
He jumped straight to the front and controlled the race nicely before fending off the late challenge of Jack Be Lucky to win by just under a length.
The eight-year-old son of Sidestep then went to Chinchilla where the 61.5kg impost took it’s toll late and he was run down over 1200m to finish third by 1.4 lengths to Gayndah qualifier Villaden.
He likes to have his races spaced and enters this race five weeks between runs, which was the gap when he won his qualifier.
He’ll go forward for Cody Collis but may be suspect late and given he hadn’t won since June last year prior to his win two starts ago, I’m happy for him to go around without me.
4. Kalashnikov (8)
Price: $21.00
The Toni Schofield-trained gelding enters his first Battle Of The Bush Final but is no stranger to the big stage having finished eighth and tenth in the past two runnings of the Country Stampede.
His road to the final suffered a major blow last start when he finished a long last in the Injune qualifier.
However, the Capitalist six-year-old had been racing in consistent form prior to that with four consecutive placings including twice in qualifying races.
His best effort came in the Longreach qualifying race when finding the front only to be run down late by The Hanger Cat for a 1.5 length second.
He gets the services of top Sydney jockey Regan Bayliss.
He seems to find one better which was the case in the Cloncurry qualifier where he was beaten by 3.8 lengths by Mr Metric, and because of that I’m happy to rule him out as winning chance.
5. Villaden (21)
Price: $15.00
Trainer and owner Rodney Hay wasn’t afforded any favours at the barrier draw with his gelding coming up with the second outside gate.
The son of Tavistock is racing in good form and is looking for his third win in a row.
After chasing home Invahir for third in the Jandowae qualifier three starts back, he went to Chinchilla where he finished off strongly down the outside to easily put his rivals away, including Elusive Eagle, to win by 1.1 lengths.
He earned his way into the Battle Of The Bush final last start at Gayndah when sprouting wings in the final 100m to run down Jack Be Lucky and win by a nose.
There’s no doubting that he’s in red hot form but he’s going to need an almighty amount of luck starting from the Ascot Woolworths car park.
6. Invahir (11)
Price: $5.00
The Pat Webster-trained gelding enters the Ladbrokes Battle Of The Bush Final looking to win his fourth race in a row.
The son of Invader has enjoyed the move to Webster’s stable as shown by his unbeaten record since arriving at Toowoomba.
He went back-to-back at Roma with big wins over 900m before qualifying early for the final with a strong 1.3 length win over 1200m in the Jandowae qualifying race.
That allowed Webster to give him a short let-up and he returns here on the back of two trials with the most recent seeing him go across the line with black-type winners Brereton and Rockribbed.
Leslie ‘Bubba’ Tilley reunites with his longtime friend Webster and is an asset in these country finals given his penchant for finding a way to win them.
The five-year-old gelding has the speed to settle in a handy position.
It would seem many punters are following the “Don’t be silly, back Bubba Tilley” mantra given he has shortened into favourite.
7. Get What You Give (13)
Price: $18.00
The five-year-old gelding recently returned to the Brendan Richardson stable after a stint racing in Rockhampton with Nick Walsh.
Two starts ago when having his first start back for Richardson, he found the front but was nailed on the line to finish a head second over 1300m at Barcaldine.
The son of Spieth impressed last start when letting down strongly to win the Barcaldine qualifying race by 1.7 lengths.
Emma Bell takes the ride and has experience on the horse having won twice and placed second twice from five rides.
For a horse that won his qualifying race in such impressive fashion, he seems well over the odds and I couldn’t talk you out of backing him.
8. Holiday Dreams (5)
Price: $41.00
The Kym Afford-trained gelding proved too strong two starts ago on the Gladstone sand when qualifying for this year’s Battle Of The Bush.
He ran well last start over 1030m at Gympie but was well beaten by 5.7 lengths when finishing second.
Unfortunately, his best days are behind him and given he was easily accounted for by the likes of Invahir and Villaden in recent races, like the market, I couldn’t have him here.
9. Mr Metrics (19)
Price: $13.00
Shryn Royes has done a terrific job with keeping her six-year-old gelding in such good for for so long.
The son of City Place won his way through to the Battle Of The Bush final last start in emphatic fashion with a 3.7 length win in the Cloncurry qualifier where he sat outside the lead before giving his rivals the slip in the straight.
Prior to that, he won at Gregory Downs three starts back and had placed in four other races.
He’s been up for the best part of seven months but enters this race off a four-week let-up.
While he rarely runs a bad race, where he settles from the wide gate is a concern.
10. Recruiter (1)
Price: $6.00
The Ricky Ludwig-trained gelding is one of the favoured runners in this year’s Battle Of The Bush and it’s easy to see why.
He qualified for the final two starts back at Mareeba when sprinting hard and fast to win by 1.3 lengths.
Last start he showed plenty of speed to lead the Atherton qualifier but was picked off in the shadows of the post by Hearsay.
The son of Deep Field is armed with early speed which sets him up nicely in the final with the inside barrier and Australia’s leading frontrunning jockey Tim Clark engaged to ride.
The booking of Clark is a massive coup for connections and shouldn’t be underestimated given he replaces an apprentice.
I expect the four-year-old to be fighting out the finish.
11. Under The Limit (14)
Price: $9.00
Bowen trainer Tom Button couldn’t have his gelding in better form heading into the Battle Of The Bush final.
The son of Under The Louvre has won his past three races, including the Home Hill qualifier two starts ago where he led the 1180m contest before shooting clear at the top of the straight and going on to win by 1.2 lengths.
He’s four weeks between runs, which is the same spacing he had before easily winning three starts ago with 64.5kg at Bowen.
Young gun jockey Bailey Wheeler is a good booking and can give his mount a great run on speed with just 54kg on his back.
Button isn’t here for a haircut, and I expect a massive showing from “Goose”.
12. Chalkley (20)
Price: $101.00
The David Micallef-trained gelding caused an upset in the Bowen qualifier when charging along the fence to claim victory.
It was his first win in two years and he’d been competing in Benchmark 55 company, so it’s very hard to see him reproducing such heroics in the final.
13. Peshwa (12)
Price: $13.00
It would be an emotional victory if Angela Jones could salute aboard the Lindsay Hatch-trained gelding given the talented hoop learned her craft with the Toowoomba conditioner when she was just starting out.
The five-year-old grey raced flat last start when finishing towards the tale in the Gayndah Cup but his form prior was consistently good.
Three starts back he qualified for the Battle Of The Bush final when winning at Burrandowen.
He usually couldn’t keep up early which saw him settle midfield before coming widest in the straight and charging home to win by 1.1 lengths.
Hatch has stated that his striking horse has done well since his last start failure and Jones could win on a rocking horse, so it’s a brave person that rules this guy out.
14. Kazza’s Jet (4)
Price: $12.00
Despite not winning one of the 16 qualifying races, the Leslie Baker-trained mare has been heavily backed in from $31 to $12.
The last race the daughter of Jet Spur won was the Charleville Cup last year before going on to finish 10th in the Country Cups Final.
She’s been racing in consistent form this preparation with placings in the Injune Cup and at Tambo as well as finishing second by 3.5 lengths in the Charleville qualifier three starts back.
She gets in with no weight and is drawn beautifully for Robbie Dolan.
A hot speed is usually set in these finals, which will aid her cause as she’ll get back and run on but I just feel she may have too much work to do.
15. Hearsay (3)
Price: $18.00
The John Manzelmann-trained chestnut mare went to another level last start when running down Recruiter to win the Atherton Battle Of The Bush qualifier and earn the last spot in the final.
Given that result, there’s some disparity between the prices of Recruiter and Hearsay, who offers great value in comparison.
Tahlia Fenlon is back in the saddle and has a good association with the horse, most recently guiding her to a strong win over 1560m at Mackay two starts ago.
With just 52kg on her back and a strong speed, she could take some holding out.
16. Invictus Lad (17)
Price: $23.00
The Glenda Bell-trained gelding hugged the fence last start when finding the line strongly to win the Injune qualifying race by 1.3 lengths.
Two starts back he was beaten fair and square by Real Key in the Emerald qualifier.
Given he was competing in Benchmark 58 company just three starts ago, I’m happy for him to go around without me.
17e. Jack Be Lucky (18)
Price: $20.00
The Corey & Kylie Geran-trained gelding gains a start in the Battle Of The Bush final with the scratching of Han Dynasty.
Rivals will be worried about his inclusion given he can give it a real shake.
The son of Holy Roman Emperor is looking to go one better after finishing 1.3 lengths second in last year’s running of this final.
He was knocking on the door to qualify for the final throughout the whole series with runner-up finishes in the Goondiwindi and Burrandowen races before going down by a neck in the Gayndah qualifier.
He has a tricky draw to deal with but with a touch of luck, he can run a race at a price.
***I’ll refrain from commenting on the other emergencies given no jockeys have been named and they are very unlikely to run at this late stage given the travel required.***
Selections:
1st – Invahir (6)
2nd – Under The Limit (11)
3rd – Recruiter (10)
4th – Villaden (5)