Racing
RQ Mackay Newmarket Preview: Friday - 11th July 2025
Mackay’s Jennifer Hatfield has come a long way since her days riding the pony club circuit as a young child.
"I just love horses and I've been involved with them since I was riding them at pony clubs when I was 10," Hatfield said.The pony club background has served Hatfield well as she makes a name for herself among the north Queensland's training ranks.
The 27-year-old Hatfield has been training for only five years with a small team and is striking just shy of 10 per cent with 19 wins from 200 starters.
Hatfield was a former shop fitter before a friend enticed her into the racing industry where she eventually gained employment as a stable foreman.
She admits the job of being a trainer is not easy and she couldn't do it without the help of her partner, Henry Manzelmann.
Manzelmann is part of the famous Manzelmann clan of north Queensland and is a brother of fellow Mackay trainer Josh Manzelmann.
"I'm very happy with the ways things are going at the moment as I've only got a team of five," Hatfield said.
"It's a nice size to have as it gives me extra time to look after my horses one-one-one.
"Henry is a plasterer but he helps me around the stables every morning and he shoes our horses after learning to shoe off his father who was heavily involved training trotters."
Hatfield is hoping for a home town win which would be the biggest win of her short career when she saddles Acrophobic in the Newmarlet Handicap at Mackay on Friday.
She also gives last start Mackay winner Flying Shamus a hope at the weights after the six-year-old mare snuck into the Newmarket field after being named first emergency.
Acrophobic - a Geogina Cartwright mount - won five races for his previous trainer Jamie McConachy but has had only three starts under Hatfield's care for two wins and a last start fourth to Booming Lad in the Mackay Lightning on June 27.
"He's a really good horse but I haven't done anything different with him since I got him," Hatfield said.
"It's just been a matter of maintaining with him as he's a confident horse and just gets the job done.
"He won over 1300 metres at his first start for me at Mackay and then he won again at Townsville.
"He stills holds the 1400-metre track record at Rockhampton."
Hatfield blamed the barrier for Acrophobic's Lightning defeat at Mackay last start.
"He had a bad barrier in the Lightning when he ran fourth but it was a great run as he covered a lot of extra ground," she said.
"There's a couple of decent horses against him but I'm quietly confident.
"If he runs well, I'll send him north for the Cleveland Bay and Cairns Newmarket next."
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