Several of the Devonport Harness Racing Club’s traditional Cup night features were held alongside the 2026 Cup in Launceston on Sunday night. Here’s a recap of some of the highlights.
1,600 wins for Gareth Rattray
Hall of Fame reinsman Gareth Rattray chalked up his 1,600th career win when partnering the Brett Jaffray-trained Family Reasons ($3.70) in the Ulverstone Cycles Pace (2200m).
The five-year-old gelding was crossed early from the pole and settled behind the leader before working one-off at the 300m, with Rattray lifting the pacer over the line to score by a short-half head.
“I had a good run. I was a bit concerned they went a bit slow, but I think the leader pulled up the last 50m, and we knuckled down and got him on the line,” said Gareth.
The win means Rattray became the second Tasmanian driver to reach 1,600 career wins, 1,598 in Australia, 1 in New Zealand, and 1 in Norway.
“It’s pretty satisfying. Obviously, I have been doing it a long time, and it’s pretty special, the 40-year-old said.
Tasmanian drivers have won more than 1000 races at the completion of Sunday’s Hobart meeting:
Ricky Duggan 1,869
Gareth Rattray 1,601
Barrie Rattray 1,587
Neville Webberley 1,369
Darrel Alexander 1,315
Rohan Hillier 1,091
Meanwhile, Jack Laugher is closing in on the tonne with 998 career wins. He will drive at Charlton, Shepparton and Mildura in Victoria over the next three days.
Coastal Pacing Thousand
Village Jolt gelding Photo First ($8.50) continued his outstanding form, claiming the Jeremy Rockliff MP Coastal Pacing Thousand (2200m).
Jacob Duggan positioned the Greg Scott-trained pacer one-out and four-back before gaining a three-wide cart up over the final 800m.
“He was doing it quite easily, and that’s the scary part at the moment. He keeps stepping up in grade, and that’s five straight now, and to do it like that was impressive.
“I think the harder they go, and the more he has got to race,` the better he will be,” said Duggan about the win.
Photo First has now won seven of his 21 starts, with six-minor placings to his credit, with five of those wins coming in his last five starts.
Dash For Cash
Sweet Lou gelding Celebrity Royal ($1.20 fav) took his career record to five wins from nine starts when scoring by a head over a brave Rakadan in the Ladbrokes Dash For Cash (1680m) in a mile rate of 1:54.0s.
After being caught three wide in a 27.2s first quarter, Celebrity Royal found the spot outside the leader at the 1200m, and then held that position down the back straight in a 27.4s third quarter.
“That was an interesting race. What a horse.
“To work out of the gate, Jacob (Duggan, driver of Another Nien) gave me a big shake of the head, which he is entitled to do, but I thought it was too far to go back from there,” winning driver Mark Yole said after the win.
Parker’s Mares Incentive
Latrobe trainer Ben Parker prepared his second career win in his nine-start training career, and claimed his biggest win in the Ladbrokes Mares Incentive (2200m) when four-year-old mare Glenview Lanikai ($1.65 fav) claimed a 12.9m win after racing outside the leader.
“She did it nicely, and she was well overdue for a win.
“You wouldn’t meet a better bunch of blokes than these fellas (that own the pacer), they put in the hard yards, and I’m happy to win for them,” said winning driver Liam Older, who told Abbey Turnbull on Tasracing’s Live Coverage that he is preparing for another trip back to Victoria.
