Hatch hopes to end North Queensland dry spell

By Glenn Davis

Toowoomba trainer Lindsay Hatch is hopeful of ending his Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival drought in the Cairns Amateur Cup at Cannon Park on Saturday.

Hatch has two tickets in the 2100 metre feature on the second day of the Cairns Amateurs carnival with Cairns Cup runner-up Sayl and American Saint.

Hatch has been a regular visitor to North Queensland for the winter carnivals in recent years but his only feature Cup victory was with Sayl in last year’s Mackay Cup.

Sayl had been disappointing in his latest North Queensland safari until his most recent outing when an eye-catching second to the John Manzelmann-trained The Driller in last month’s Cairns Cup.

American Saint, who ran second in the Townsville Cup two starts back, also contested the Cairns Cup but folded badly to tail the field of 14 starters, almost 20 lengths away.

Stewards questioned jockey Justin Stanley after American Saint’s flop and the top hoop believed the soft track was a major factor in the six-year-old mare’s downfall.

“Sayl has been a very unlucky horse and should have won the Townsville Cup last year,” Hatch said.

“We gave him a long spell last year after his North Queensland campaign which was a mistake and he’s just coming right now.”

Hatch also felt Sayl was unlucky not to claim this year’s Cairns Cup.

“Nathan Thomas got him off and thought he should have won,” Hatch said.

“He was held up at the 600 metres and again when they straightened and he only just got beaten.

“He’s the pick of my two by far as American Saint might not run if there’s a lot of rain as he doesn’t like we tracks.

“He didn’t handle the soft going last run in the Cairns Cup but to Justin’s (Stanley) credit he didn’t knock him about.”

Hatch is undecided where American Saint will head next but the Atherton Cup is an option while Sayl could return home for the Toowoomba Cup.

Hatch has named the Jeffrey Caught-trained Flash Aah, who finished a last start third in the Cairns Cup behind The Driller, as the main threat in Saturday's Cup to his pair. 

“I think Flash Aah is the main threat to Sayl as his run in the Cairns Cup was very good and anything John Manzelmann lines up is a danger as he’s a very good trainer,” he said.