Hatch and Torrens looking for cup day success at Tamworth
SALLY Torrens and Zach Hatch are two young trainers looking to snare Melbourne Cup day success at the Tamworth Jockey Club’s Single Builders race meeting tomorrow.
For Tamworth trainer Zach Hatch it’s a case of his whole stable turning out in the $6000 Single Builders Class 1 Handicap (1000m) while Gunnedah-based Torrens hopes to enjoy her first day at Tamworth’s Melbourne Cup day meeting with success with one or all of her three runners.
“Never been to the Melbourne Cup day meeting at Tamworth,” Torrens said today.
“Should be a great day. Have three in – Thalj (R1), As A Hawk (R3) and Stirling Shadow (R4) – and they should all run well.”
She said Jodi Worley will ride As A Hawk with Sophie Young on her other pair.
As A Hawk, a five-year-old son of Tamworth stallion Ready As, has been a consistent runner for Torrens.
“He has been thereabouts,” she said.
“‘Been consistent and a bit unlucky. The other day at Armidale he got back on a very heavy track and did make up some ground. Hopefully he will go all right. He’s honest enough.”
As A Hawk has drawn barrier one while Zach Hatch’s only runner, Wedel, has drawn outside him in barrier two, although Zach would rather it a bit wider.
“He gets a bit windy of other horses,” Hatch said.
“I would rather have drawn out. And 1200m might have been a bit better for him.”
Wedel is the only last-start winner in the field, having won his maiden over 1010m at Inverell on October 15.
The four-year-old grey gelding was originally trained by his father Mark but when he moved to Scone to train he left the son of Youthful Legs with his son to train for family friend Graeme Yeates.
“That was a good win at Inverell,” Zach said.
“The time was nothing flash and he really wants a hard track, he likes to be on top of the ground. But Melbourne Cup day has always been good to us – we’ve always had some luck.”
Melbourne Cup day has always been good to the TJC, too, with big crowds.
Acting CEO Helen Sinclair said the track is rated a Soft 6 after 18mm of rain on Sunday.
“It’s a very social day for us,” she said.
“We have marquees, hospitality tents and fashions in the field. The marquees and tents are all full.”
The TJC race five non-TAB races tomorrow, the first of which starts at 1.30pm.
Words: Geoff Newling
Photo Copyright Bill Poulos