THE Rattrays have long been one of Tasmania’s most dominant harness racing families with Barrie Rattray one of the most successful trainers and drivers over the past three decades.
He followed in the footsteps of his father Wayne who, in his heyday, was one of the best trainers in the state.
In Hobart last Sunday night Barrie trained a winner (Biggernbettermax) while his brother Kent trained a double and Barrie’s sons Gareth and Todd drove three winners between them.
In recent times Barrie Rattray has had a couple of his stable stars racing with success in New South Wales and in particular his classy free-for-aller Beautide that is a genuine candidate to grab a berth in next month’s Miracle Mile at Menangle.
Rattray had a plan to establish a satellite stable interstate and the dream has finally been realised.
His son James has taken out a trainer’s licence and along with his life partner Sofia Svennson they are preparing a small team of horses out of stables located alongside John McCarthy’s property at Cobbitty near Menangle.
James spent about 3-1/2 years working in the USA for top trainer Noel Daly at New Jersey where he met Svennson who hails from Sweden.
Svennson is a talented reinswoman in her own right and according to Barrie Rattray she is “brilliant with horses”.
James Rattray, 28, returned to Tasmania late last year with the view of assessing his future and hopefully relocating interstate to establish his own training enterprise.
He believes having stables in NSW as an extension of the family business is a great way to ease his way into the national scene.
Listen to what James Rattray had to say about the establishment of the Rattray satellite stable.