JOHN DANN TARGETS GUINEAS / MACKAY CUP DOUBLE

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, July 22, 2026

The John Dann trained Illegal Justice will attempt to add another Guineas win to his resume when he tackles the Magic Millions Whitsunday Guineas QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1560m at Mackay on Saturday.

The son of Under The Louvre won the corresponding feature … the Magic Millions Capricorn Guineas QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1500m … at Rockhampton in his last start, a result which makes him well equipped to tackle this latest assignment, particularly as he won that in emphatic fashion by a clearcut 1.50 lengths.

Further franking his claims is the fact that, in the run immediately prior to that victory, Illegal Justice finished a close-up third behind the more than useful Moshulu Spirit, who was in the process of landing three wins in a row, and Statement Of Truth, who won his next start, over 1200m at Doomben.

Illegal Justice is very lightly raced with two wins from four starts. Both of his wins came second-up and this will be the first time he extends a preparation to three starts.

Dylan Turner, who has partnered Illegal Justice in every one of his four starts, will ride the Dann trained runner once again.

Should Illegal Justice score, Dann would have the chance of completing the Whitsunday Guineas / MacKay Cup double when he sends out Quothquan in the Cup one race later.

Quothquan, a six-year-old with thirty-three starts behind his name, will be third-up in the Cup and will go into the race on the back of a highly creditable second place finish in the Rockhampton Cup behind Keitel, who he now meets at a favourable 2kg turnover at the weights for that 1.85 length defeat. Prior to that he was a winner at Ipswich over 1350m.

Quothquan is following the same path he took twelve months ago. Then he finished second at Ipswich … finished third in the Rockhampton Cup … then fourth in the MacKay Cup, before, note, going on to win the Townsville Cup.

Chances are that experience serves Quothquan well.

John Dann is one of five trainers shooting for the Guineas / MacKay Cup double. Lachie Manzelmann, Joshua Manzelmann, Graham Hughes and Raymond Williams join him in that quest.