Devendra, Tasmania’s most successful pacer on the National stage since Beautide, took another step on his journey to replicate the Inter Dominion deeds of his illustrious stablemate, by winning over 2090 metres in Hobart on Friday night.
Devendra (pictured), the winner of two Heats of the 2016 Inter Dominion in Western Australia, showed lightning speed from the outside of the front line from behind the mobile for Barrie Rattray, and after a brief battle with Another Swinger through the first turn sped to the top.
On the back of the early burn, the pair found themselves 25 metres clear of Chirac with race favourite Pachacuti one off the pegs in fifth place and a good 30 metres off the front runners.
Barrie dropped anchor on Devendra ($3.30) just inside the mile marker and after a flying lead time of 32.6 seconds, ran a leisurely first quarter of 32.3 seconds which enabled the field to reel in the tearaways.
With the bell sounding, Todd Rattray allowed Pachacuti to move up and sit at the wheel of Devendra and the eagerly anticipated clash was on.
Rattray senior, an 11-time Tasmanian Premiership driver, taught his award-winning boys all they know, just maybe not all he knows and started to increase the tempo at the half-mile with the eight-year-old Bettors Delight – Queen Carey gelding.
The Todd Rattray-trained stars staged a great battle down the back straight but Devendra, rated to perfection, had a little up its sleeve at the 400 and had the field off the bit and chasing.
Despite being under pressure on the home turn Pachacuti knuckled down to the task in the straight and closed the gap to just on a metre at the post with another stablemate Roger Ramjet running on stoutly for third.
Devendra showed tremendous courage to get the job done at both ends of the race, running a mile-rate of 1:57:7 with a 57:3 second last half.
