Queensland trainers Lindsay Hatch and Tony Gollan start pre-race mind games ahead of Ascot Handicap at Eagle Farm

Lindsay Hatch has one runner in the Ascot Handicap at Eagle Farm up against five from the Tony Gollan, but luckily for him it is the favourite.

Lindsay Hatch caught up for a beer this week with his good mate and fellow trainer Tony Gollan in Toowoomba and the conversation soon turned to Saturday’s Ascot Handicap sprint at Eagle Farm.

“I’ve got you surrounded,” said Gollan, who will have five of the 11 runners in the $160,000 Listed race over 1000m.

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Toowoomba trainer Hatch just has the one entrant in Wanda Rox but the five-year-old mare happens to be the favourite, boasts a brilliant record fresh (five wins from five races) and will relish the track (4:3-1-0) and distance (8:5-3-0).

Gollan rates Zarastro ($4.60), a dominant last-start winner in the $1m Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) on the Gold Coast in January, as the best of his five chances which include Cannonball ($17), King Kapa ($7), Nettuno ($15), and Liquor ($12).

“He’s a good mate of mine Tony and I had a beer with him on Thursday and he said he’s got me surrounded, which he has,” Hatch said.

“He didn’t say he’d beat me, he just said he had me surrounded.

“But I’ve got a grouse little mare. She had a week out in the paddock after her last run at Eagle Farm (when she finished second to top sprinter Steady Ready on March 15).

Queensland trainers Lindsay Hatch and Tony Gollan.

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“She goes good fresh, she’s got an impeccable record at the track and she’s drawn well.

“She’s been a terrific mare since we’ve had her. She’ll acquit herself well.”

Gollan has Queensland Winter Carnival aspirations for Zarastro, who will carry 61kg on Saturday with Angela Jones in the saddle – 8kg more than Wanda Rox.

“When you get to this time of the year, I think quality comes to the fore and he’s the quality horse,” Gollan said.

“He gets the surface to suit. It’s a little bit of a tricky ride for Ang but she knows the horse awfully well and he’s a dominant performer at a good grade.

“I think he’s the best horse in the race, there’s no doubt about that. Provided we get the right run, I can’t see why he won’t be right there in the finish.”

Zarastro is one of five Tony Gollan runners in the Ascot Handicap at Eagle Farm. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

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Meanwhile, straight-shooting trainer Barry Lockwood admitted he doubted whether his star gelding Give Me Space had the fitness to win a dogfight in the $160,000 Daybreak Lover (1400m) on Saturday.

TAB has posted topweight Give Me Space as the $2.90 favourite ahead of Ciaron Maher’s Goodlucktome ($3.90) and Gollan’s Boomtown Boss ($5).

“He’s certainly not 100 per cent,” Lockwood said of Give Me Space, who was runner-up to exciting colt Bosustow in the $3m Magic Millions 3YO Guineas on the Gold Coast on January 17.

“We’ve had six weeks of rain and six weeks of missed trials, jumpouts and gallops.

“I’m quite happy with him going there (to Eagle Farm) but I know if push comes to shove, they’ll beat him on fitness.

“He’s certainly worthy of where he is in the market but the horses that are rock-hard fit and have been racing will definitely have the edge on him.”

Lockwood is targeting the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm on May 3 for Give Me Space, who was a $75,000 buy for larrikin Queensland bushie Rodney Hay.

Originally published as Queensland trainers Lindsay Hatch and Tony Gollan start pre-race mind games ahead of Ascot Handicap at Eagle Farm