Veteran gelding Prussian Secret is set to be given the chance to defend his title in the $50,000 2013 Mackay Cup (1800m) on Saturday.

The eight-year-old was a convincing winner last year and is one of 21 horses entered to contest the North Queensland town’s biggest race.

Prussian Secret will head to Mackay in solid form after running fourth in the Rockampton Cup last month. With none of the Rockampton placegetters nominated for Mackay, the Jared Whelow-trained galloper appears well placed to claim back-to-back titles.

Also returning for the second year in a row is local hope Our Boy Lukas who will be out to exact revenge after trailing Prussian Secret home for second in 2012.

The well-travelled eight-year-old, who has won races at venues across the country, won his last start at Mackay last month and is one of eight horses entered for local trainer John Manzelmann.

Others in Manzelmann’s contingent include one-time Brisbane winner More More More and in-form gelding Just The Tonic who has produced top four finishes at his past six trips to the races.

Also well regarded is Writer who was one of the most successful horses to race in North Queensland last year.

The Rockhampton-based galloper took out his hometown cup before finishing fourth in the Mackay Cup and winning the Townsville Cup.

But the David Stafford-trained gelding will have to show a form turnaround if he is to add the Mackay feature to his resume after labouring to finish seventh in his attempt a title defence in last month’s Rockhampton Cup.

Rockhampton Cup 2013 – Nominations