Sayl chasing second Mackay Cup

By Glenn Davis

Lindsay Hatch is hopeful Sayl can ride the crest of a winning wave for his North Queensland stable in Saturday’s $150,000 Mackay Cup.

Hatch has operated a stable in Townsville for the past 24 months, as well as his base in Toowoomba, and was in sparkling form landing four winners at last Saturday’s Townsville Cup meeting.

Sayl will back-up in the 2000 metre Mackay Cup after his strong Townsville Cup showing when the nine-year-old finished fifth to fellow Toowoomba stayer Warp Speed.

Sayl gave Hatch his first Mackay Cup victory two years ago and finished seventh to the John Manzelmann-trained Savvy Legend in last year’s Mackay Cup.

“I think he’s in about the same form now as when he won the Mackay Cup two years ago,” Hatch said.

“His last run in the Townsville Cup proved that when he finished strongly and he was only beaten just over three lengths.

“He was a length in front three strides past the finishing line.”

Hatch rates the Mark Goodwin-trained Warp Speed as the one to beat again and has only one concern ahead of the Mackay feature.

“I’ve been one run behind with him after he was a late scratching at the barrier in the Winter Cup last month,” Hatch said.

“A horse next to him in the barrier played up and he broke through the gates and had to come out.

“He should be very hard to beat in the Mackay Cup but whatever happens this race will top him off nicely for his next runs in Cairns.”

Hatch plans to follow the same path as last year with Sayl and will aim for the Cairns Cup on August 24 and the Cairns Amateur Cup on September 14.

Sayl had a brief time with Caloundra trainer Stuart Kendrick during the winter and had three starts before returning to Hatch’s care.

“Some of his owners at the time wanted a change and sent him to Stuart at Caloundra but they got out of him and he subsequently came back to me,” Hatch said.

Hatch was born at Blackall in Central Queensland but grew up in Ayr and was a regular race goer with his father.

He left school when he was 14 to become an apprentice jockey in Brisbane and rode 120 winners and won the Gold Coast apprentices’ title.

“I’ve still got a lot of friends up north and it would be great to win the Mackay Cup for a second time,” Hatch said.