Sayl Back to Chase Swan Song Cup Win

Grand old Cups warrior Sayl will launch his final northern carnivals campaign when he tackles the Ladbrokes NQ Cup (1609m) at Cluden Park on Sunday.

The rising nine-year-old, whose career began in France six years ago, will be on the Cups trail for a third successive year in a quest to add to his 2022 Mackay Cup win and 2023 Cairns Amateur Cup.

Trainer Lindsay Hatch believes the ghostly grey still has a zest for racing and deserves one last shot to atone for his unlucky third in the Townsville Cup two years ago.

Hatch explained Sayl had only just returned to his care after three starts with Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick.

“Some owners bought into him, and wanted to give him a go with Stuart. They’ve since got out and the other owners who stayed in him wanted me to take him back for another go at the Cups so I did,” Hatch said.

“He’s been a great old horse for us. He’s won a Mackay Cup, then he was unlucky not to win the Townsville Cup that year. He took longer last year to find his form after a long spell but ran second in the Cairns Cup and won the Cairns Amateur Cup,” Hatch said.

“I’ve won five with him and they’ve been the right ones. This will be his last year and we’re hoping he can win the Townsville Cup for us.

“He probably takes a few more runs to get fit as he gets older because he does pretty well in the paddock.

“But I’d like to think he has another cup in him. After Townsville he’ll go to Mackay a week later and then go to Cairns for the two cups up there and that’ll do him.

“He’s in good shape, looks good, but he only arrived there on Monday after a slow trip. 

“On Sunday it’ll be too short for him but he’ll be running on. I’ve got a good jockey on him in Ryan Wiggins and he’ll get off and tell me how he’s going.”

Sayl will be coming off a trial and three runs for unplaced efforts over 1400m, 1690m and 2200m at Eagle Farm, Ipswich, and Sunshine Coast.

The tough veteran has been through numerous stables in his long career.

Originally imported from Europe to race in the Chris Waller stables, he has since passed through the stables of Ricky Vale, Ben Waldron, Nick Walsh, Stuart Kendrick and has been trained for major part of his later career by Hatch.

Sunday’s NQ Cup holds added significance for the nine runners, offering the winner a golden ticket into the Ladbrokes Townsville Cup on August 3.

Progressive galloper Speed Legend, with Lacey Morrison in the saddle, will line up one of the hot fancies at his first attempt at the Cluden mile.

The Roy Chillemi-trained galloper suffered his first Townsville defeat in four starts when he was third to Acrobatic over 1400m in a leader dominated race on June 13.

In an open cup, his stablemate Mystery ‘N’ Magic, Devil Kick, a newcomer to the Alex Malliff yard, Miss Seattle, Olympic Korchnoi and Investor are all expected to stake a claim.

English import Third Realm, who finished fifth in the 2021 Epsom Derby, has top weight of 66.5kg and will generate a lot of interest.

He is having his first start for new trainer Jeffrey Caught since transferring north from Sam and Anthony Freedman in Victoria where he raced five times and failed to place.

Meanwhile, consistent gelding Dance For Me Randy will run a short favourite in the Hygain QTIS 2YO Hcp (1200m) despite his 62kg top weight.

The Georgie Holt-trained youngster is fresh from his brave win in the $100,000 Lawrence & Hanson 2YO Classic at Cluden on June 8.

Sunday’s bumper nine-event card kicks off at 12.19pm.

Pictured: Popular grey Sayl in full flight. He's back for one last tilt at the Northern Cups for trainer Lindsay Hatch.

See the racing calendar for upcoming race days.