Sayl faces task for back-to-back Mackay Cup wins

By Glenn Davis

Toowoomba trainer Lindsay Hatch has warned Sayl faces an uphill battle in his attempt for back-to-back wins in the Mackay Cup on Saturday.

Hatch fears Sayl is behind schedule for his 2023 Northern Winter Carnival campaign and is not in the same form as he was last year when the seven-year-old won the 2000 metre feature.

“We’re a bit behind the eight-ball with him this year,” Hatch said.

“We made an error and gave him too long a spell after his last campaign.

“He had four months off in the paddock, which was too long, and he’s still very fat inside.

“He’s had two runs back from a break and his form suggests he’s nowhere near the form he showed when he won the Mackay Cup last year.

“He needs a few runs yet to find his peak as he’s getting older and he’ll run at Townsville next start after the Mackay Cup.”

After claiming last year’s Mackay Cup, Sayl finished third to the Ricky Vale-trained Namazu in the Townsville Cup in August last year.

He did not figure in the finish in three more starts after returning home including a sixth in the Toowoomba Cup on his home track last September.

He was turned out for his lengthy break after finishing seventh to the Bjorn Baker-trained Fun Fact in the Listed Queensland Cup over 2400 metres at Eagle Farm last October.

Sayl – a Shannon Apthorpe mount – tailed off to last in a field off 11 behind Indian Dreamer in his first run back from a spell in the Tattersall’s Gold Cup over 1600 metres at Rockhampton on June 25.

He then beat only two home when Master Jamie made it successive wins in the Rockhampton Cup over the same trip earlier this month.

“His run in the Rocky Cup was better than his first-up effort but I feel he’s still got a long way to go fitness wise,” Hatch said.

“I just think he’ll be a lot fitter by the time he gets to the Townsville and Cairns Cup, which we’re aiming him for.”

Hatch has a big team of 12 horses in North Queensland for the winter carnival and is hopeful stable mate Circularity can earn a start in next month’s Cleveland Bay Handicap at Cluden Park.

Circularity has won two of his three starts for Hatch since transferring from the Richard and Will Freedman stable in Sydney and will start in the Benchmark 75 Handicap at Townsville’s Cluden Park on Friday.

“Circularity has won his last two starts and if he wins, he could be a light weight chance in the Cleveland Bay,” Hatch said.

“I reckon the Cleveland Bay this year will be one of the hottest fields ever run.”