Hatch Timing His Run to the Cup with Sayl

Astute trainer Lindsay Hatch will be looking for a flash of old form from Cups warrior Sayl as he caps off one last Townsville Cup campaign on Explore Property Munro & Co Ladies Day at Cluden Park on Saturday.

Sayl, a former French import, will have his final lead-up in the weekend’s Ladbrokes Winter Cup on his way to a third crack at the Townsville Cup on August 3.

Hatch is pleased with the rising nine-year-old’s progress after a last start third in the Magnetic Mile at Cluden.

He has also deployed a gear change to get the old stayer to switch on and regain some of the form that saw him claim the 2022 Mackay Cup, an unlucky third in the Townsville Cup that year, and victory in last year’s Cairns Amateur Cup.

“He’s definitely improved and I think this run will top him off nicely. I’m itching to win a Townsville Cup,” Hatch said.

“Last year we put the blinkers on him in the Townsville Cup because we were a bit concerned about how he was going. 

“He jumped out and pulled himself into the ground and still ran very well. We took them off in Cairns and he ran second in the Cairns Cup and won the Amateur Cup.

“So, I thought we’d do something similar. We put them on in the mile and I was pleased with the way he finished it off. We’ve taken the blinkers off and put pacifiers on him for Saturday.

“We’re trying to keep to the same program but I think he’s more advanced this year than he was at this stage last year.

“I want to see him finish off strongly but it’ll definitely top him off nicely for the Cup. I’ll be very excited leaving the course if he wins I can tell you.”

Sayl will be having his sixth start this time in and third since re-joining the Hatch stable after a stint with Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick.

Toowoomba-based jockey Shannon Apthorpe, who landed the biggest  win of his career on Sayl in the Cairns Amateur Cup, will reunite with the gelding on Saturday.

They will be up against the free running Olympic Korchnoi and Mooloolaba who are expected to set a solid pace for the small field of seven runners in the Winter Cup which offers the winner an automatic run in the Townsville Cup.

Mackay stayer Fortified will go into the race with two wins from his past three starts for young trainer Joshua Manzelmann as will tough restricted class galloper Phoenix Flyer for Rockhampton conditioner Graeme Green.

While Hatch will be keen to see Sayl show positive signs, he will also saddle up good chances Bring Me Flowers and Baby Guinness in the Explore Munro & Co Ladies Bracelet (1300m) and Circularity in the Townsville City Council Mayor’s Sprint (1200m).

Townsville trainer Tony Comerford has opted to run in-form mare Chilli Jam in the Mayor’s Sprint, instead of the Lightning next week, on the way to the Cleveland Bay Hcp (1300m) on the big Cup Day program on August 3.

“I didn’t want to back her up a week after the Lightning into the Cleveland Bay. We haven’t backed her up before so we decided to go this way so that she has a fortnight between runs,” Commerford said.

“She’s going as good as ever and she’ll do her thing – jump, go forward and give her best.”

Classy Cairns sprinter Smart Image heads the weights in the Mayor’s Sprint with 66kg after recording a brilliant win with 65.5kg from Chilli Jam over 1000m at Cluden on June 13.

The gelding’s co-trainers Trevor and Peter Rowe have retained heavyweight jockey Ashley Butler for the ride on Smart Image in what will also be his final lead-up for the Cleveland Bay.

Saturday’ race is the last chance for a number of lightly weighted runners to qualify for the Cleveland Bay, North Queensland’s premier sprint.

Pictured: Popular grey stayer Sayl will have his final tune-up for the Ladbrokes Townsville Cup on Explore Property Munro & Co Ladies Day at Cluden on Saturday.

See the racing calendar for upcoming race days.