THANGOOL'S Damien Rideout and Brian Laherty, of Nanango, have booked passage to Eagle Farm in Brisbane on June 22 for the $125,000 Battle of the Bush.
These country trainers won the right through the respective home track successes of Mia Host and Macho Picchu on May 25.
Mia Host (Host-Four Seasons) scooted over the Thangool 1200 metres course in a super slick 1min 8.88 seconds to win by two lengths.
Ridden by Rockhampton apprentice Elyce Smith, Mia Host beat her year older sibling All Host (Host-Four Seasons) over the line while Still The Same (Nadeem-On Eight Hundred) was third, another four lengths further back.
The win surprised most punters, who let Mia Host drift out to $11 by post time.
On the other hand Machu Picchu (Krupt-Manu Peru) was solidly supported before taking the Nanango qualifier from runner-up Tycoon Zip (WrittenTycoon-Train Of Love), which was only a half length away at the end.
Go Get Sum (Exceedingly Good-Helpful Hints) did best of the chasing division but was still five and a quarter lengths adrift.
Machu Picchu is racing in rare form for Laherty and has given himself a chance of a winning hat trick courtesy of a Warwick triumph on May 11 before scoring last weekend.
Miles-based trainer Bevan Johnson added another qualifier to a growing list when Fab's Cowboy (Greenwood Lake-Real Live Woman) made a one-act affair of the Cunnamulla rendition.
With young rider Minonette Kennedy in the saddle, Fab's Cowboy strolled home by two lengths over Bush Caviar (Tycoon Ruler-Precious Verse) and Music Scene (Kaphero-Smytzer's Magic).
Victory did his Bush series claims no harm, but it did not advance Fab's Cowboy's cause either as the seven-year-old had previously earned a place following a qualifying win at Gladatone last month.
Ilfracombe trainer Henry Forster could be the lucky loser from the Cunnamulla event with Bush Caviar now in the running for a starting place at headquarters.
Additional qualifying races will be run on June 1 at Bowen, Cloncurry and Mareeba and a week later at Barcaldine.