Tyro trainer a chip off the old block

And as his pop’s third year apprentice farrier, Zach will no doubt take over the shoeing business as well not too far down the track.

Eight-year-old gelding Northern Mark is the young trainer’s only starter at Quirindi Jockey Club’s Boxing Day meeting today – the last-start winner will be ridden by veteran jockey Darren Jones in the 1450m Stone & Co/Bettington Rural C, G & E Benchmark 50 Handicap.

“I’m getting too old and tired to keep up both (training and shoeing) –  leave it to the young fellas,” David Hatch joked.

“He’s doing a good job with the horse, and he’s a pretty good young farrier too – helps me out a lot.”

Northern Mark improved on his previous handfuls of starts to register his fifth career win when beating Sue Grills’s Border Flight (who will line up against him again today) by one length in a benchmark 49 handicap at Quirindi over today’s distance two weeks ago.

And his young trainer is hoping the gelding can return to that track in similar form today.

“It was the first start I gave him in my name. 

“Dad (Scone trainer Mark Hatch) had him after pop (David Hatch), but raced him in TAB races. 

“I brought him back to the non-TAB meetings and I think that did the trick,” Zach said.

“I freshened him up and didn’t do much with him before the race. 

“He won nicely – hopefully he can do the same on the weekend.”

Zach only has two horses in work – Northern Mark and his own four-year-old, Canny Succeed, which can boast one win from only one start.

“He was in dad’s name for that 1000m win but I’ve got him now and will probably take him to Gunnedah next month for another 1000m race.”

And while Zach isn’t tending his pair of gallopers, he’s helping pop David shoeing horses around the region.

“I’ve learned a lot from him – everything from gallopers to shoeing. 

“He’s a good boss.”