Tasmania’s $80,000 Eureka qualifying race is rapidly approaching, and it has fittingly been named after one of the state’s modern greats.
The qualifying race scheduled for Saturday night 5 August in Hobart will be known as “The Beautide” after the Tasmanian-bred champion who amassed over $2 million in career prize money featuring back-to-back Inter Dominion titles in 2014/15.
Hall of Fame trainer Barrie Rattray says the exploits of Beautide are an example of what can occur when the best that Tasmania has to offer is tested on the biggest stage.
“Not in our wildest dreams did we expect the success that we had with Beautide but we were never going to find it if we stayed at home,” Barrie said.
The winner of The Beautide will receive the opportunity to be Tasracing’s slot representative in the inaugural running of the $2.1 million TAB Eureka at Menangle on 2 September.
With some of the biggest names in Australian harness racing such as Catch A Wave and Captain Ravishing confirmed for the race, the TAB Eureka promises to be full of quality, something that is also flowing through to Tasmania’s qualifying race.
“I wondered in the first place if we were doing the right thing being a part of it (the Eureka) but we’re starting to see the hype around the race and I think it’s going to be a real good thing,” said Barrie Rattray.
The Beautide is restricted to three & four year-old pacers among other caveats and Barrie Rattray is hopeful his family will have representation when the race arrives in early August.
“We’d be looking to take Nyack there.
“The one of Kent’s, Karalta Artemis, would be one of the extended family’s best opportunities in the three-year-old division.
“There’s also quite a lot of four-year-olds that are pretty smart headlined by Magician,” explained Barrie.
“It’s certainly going to be a sought-after slot and the opportunity to go and pit yourself against the best can only be a good thing.”
