Hatch Stable Primed for First Big Day at Amateurs

Toowoomba trainer Lindsay Hatch is confident his new Townsville operation is ready to hit the ground running with a number of winning chances at Sunday’s annual Amateurs Race Day at Cluden Park.

Hatch has spent the past two months setting up stables as principal trainer in the city for Ares Racing, and has targeted this weekend’s big Amateurs card to launch the new venture’s first northern runners.

The stable is set to be a high profile player with five starters, and Hatch is keen on the chances of promising three-year-old Baby Guinness, Bondi Beau and Red Peroni.

“We’ve had seven or eights weeks with these horses and they’ve done an absolute treat. I’m very happy with them going into the weekend,” Hatch said.

“I think a couple of them are good chances. The three-year-old Baby Guinness is terribly well weighted and well placed I feel and she’s going terrific.

“I’ve had a look at her videos from last prep and just going on the run where she ran second (to Missile Thunder) alone she should be hard to beat. She’s in tremendous nick and looks outstanding. “

Baby Guinness will line up one of the leading chances in the Hygain QTIS 3YO Hcp (1000m) at her first start since April.

The Heroic Valour filly showed plenty of potential in her two-year-old season with a win on debut at Cluden, before a close second to Horse of the Year Missile Thunder and an unplaced run in the Rockhampton Classic before spelling.

Hatch also likes the chances of noted first-up performer Bondi Beau up against the classy Yes Please in the Townsville Amateur Sprint (1200m) and Red Peroni in the Missile Thunder Horse of the Year BM65 Hcp (1000m).

“I think Bondi Beau’s a nice horse. In a lot of his good runs he was very unlucky in the run. He’s got good first up form and if he can beat Yes Please he’ll be very hard to beat.

“Red Peroni is a chance as well. He’s well placed, freshened up really nicely and there’s been nothing wrong with his runs.

“A couple of his efforts were outstanding. His last couple were huge with big weights and tough runs and he still hit the line. 

“I’d like to see him get a good speed and sit off them and finish off.

“I’m still getting to know all of these horses, but we’re pretty confident that we couldn’t have them going any better without running them.”

Meanwhile, last season’s premier jockey Lacey Morrison is hoping to continue a winning return from injury with a strong book of rides on the eight event card.

Morrison, stable jockey for trainer Sharlee Hoffman, enjoyed the best season of her career in 2021-22, landing 78 winners and taking a clean sweep of the Townsville, Cairns and Tablelands premierships.

But the hoop’s run came to an abrupt halt in August when she suffered facial injuries in a trackwork accident and was sidelined for two months.

Morrison has taken little time to find her winning touch though, landing a double at Cluden and a treble in Cairns last week.

“Last season was great and most definitely the best I’ve ever had. It’s taken me a little longer to get my weight back down after the couple of months off but I’m fit and healthy and enjoying it,” Morrison said.

“Heirborn in the Amateur Cup will run a nice race. It’s not overly strong and it’s just a case of whether he’s freshened up enough coming back in distance.

“Yes Dream won in Brisbane last prep but had a couple of tough ones on wet tracks. He’s a good horse but you just like to see how they go in open company for the first time.

“I’d like to think I can win one.”

Morrison and trainer Roy Chillemi, who won his 17th training title this year, have both been acknowledged with races named in their honour and will be presented with trophies during the meeting.

Chillemi also collected the Horse of The Year award with the unbeaten Missile Thunder who made a clean sweep of the Townsville two-year-old features.

Pictured: I'll drink to that! Baby Guinness winning on debut at Cluden earlier this year. The filly is a leading chance for trainer Lindsay Hatch on Sunday's big Townsville Amateurs card.

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