Lietinna-based trainer Kent Rattray was absolutely ecstatic in Launceston on Sunday night, after he prepared the quinella in the $14,000 Good Sports North Eastern Pacing Cup which incorporates the region of Rattray’s stables.
It was Rockandahardplace who scored the win over Colby Sanz with only a half-head between the duo at the end of the 2698m standing start event.
Reinsman Ricky Duggan had Rockandahardplace positioned one-out and one-back before racing outside the leader for the final 1750m of the race.
Duggan asked the gelded son of Pet Rock for the supreme effort in the home straight to grab the lead in the final few strides.
“Its absolutely fantastic, if I could have won any cup over the summer, this would have been the one I wanted,” a very happy Kent Rattray said.
It was a family affair, with the pacer raced on lease by his son Wade.
“When Shane Hawes was thinking about selling him, I said I didn’t want to lose him, so Wade took the lease on and since then he has never let us down, even when he hasn’t won he has put in a good effort,” explained Kent.
Hawes also bred the pacer out of Jennas Beach Boy mare Karalta Crown.
“I love the family, and I love the mare as she keeps producing nice horses,”said Kent.
Both Rockandahardplace and Colby Sanz were racing in advance of their national rating in the 70 or better event.
The win was the second leg of a feature race double for Duggan, who scored with seven-year-old gelding Similan Beach who continued on his winning way since resuming from an injury enforced break when scoring in the $12,000 Lords Hotel Launceston Mile over 1680m.
Duggan drove a confident race in the early stages to work forward and find the lead near the 1250m, and was kept honest in the middle stages of the event.
“I was worried early when Vinnie Chase was up outside us and out of control, and then when it dropped off, Joe Nien came off when we were coming off the back, but my bloke was still travelling strong around the bend,” said Duggan post-race.
Similan Beach had to dig deep in the straight when headed by Sunny Sanz.
“Sunny Sanz did get level with him in the straight but he fought back well, and he did a good job to do that,” added Duggan.
The Sombeachsomewhere gelding recorded a mile rate of 1m 55.8s (hand timed), with the win being the pacers second since returning from several injuries that saw him sidelined for over 18 months.
“That break probably did him good, he is a bit thicker and probably a bit stronger by the way he felt tonight,” Duggan explained.
The win was the last leg of a training double for Kristy Butler, who prepared Iden Lady Lincoln to victory in the opening race.
