Star Major will compete in Saturday night’s Horses ’N’ More Devonport Pacing Cup (2698m), as he seeks to go one placing better in the $40,000 standing start event, after being runner-up to Magnetic Terror in last year’s race.
However, this start will be different for Star Major. It will be his first start since the loss of part-owner Dean York.
York passed away earlier this week, aged 84, after a battle with cancer.
Star Major was the best horse York, a former Tamworth Harness Racing Club committee member, had raced.
“He was great to talk to on the phone, and he loved Star Major,” said the pacers trainer, Todd Rattray.
Star Major was a Launceston winner in October, and heads into the Devonport Pacing Cup after a last-start seventh in the Hobart Pacing Cup, of which Triedtotellya obliterated the track record, but Star Major’s beaten margin was just under five metres off Kingman’s previous track record.
“I didn’t want to be in the breeze, I wanted to drive him from behind, but I had to go around, when the horse in front of me kept pulling back, and running those times in the breeze, he wasn’t going to finish off, and I thought he was okay.
“The stands are his go, and the distance (on Saturday) suits him as well,” said Rattray ahead of Saturday’s assignment.
“Triedtotellya isn’t in it, so it probably won’t be the real quick times that he can run, so we get our chance to perform well this week.”
Todd’s brother Gareth will have driving responsibilities on Saturday night, as he chases his sixth win aboard the pacer, who he has driven on eight occasions in the past.
Instead, Todd will drive Magician, who is first-up from a spell.
“He hasn’t had the best preparation, as I wanted to have a few runs into him before this race.
“He was in the Brighton Cup (on 4 January), which got called off after a lap, so I decided not to tackle the Hobart Cup over the longer distance, given he would have been first up, so we gave him another trial.”
That trial, his third this time in, was a standing start affair at Carrick Park on 19 January, where he zipped home his last half-mile in 57.3s after working to the lead in the middle stages.
“Liam (Older) drove him and said he could have gone another lap.
“If he brings his best foot forward, he shouldn’t be too far away,” said Rattray.
Saturday’s Launceston card also features other traditional Devonport features such as the Coastal Pacing Thousand and the Dash For Cash, with the first of 10 races set down for 18:12.
