IT is rare for one of veteran trainer Wayne Rattray’s horses to win at bolter’s odds but that’s what happened in the Bullock Consulting 3YO Fillies’ Championship over 2200m at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston on Sunday night.
Much to most punters’ dismay Codie Karalta paid $102 to deliver a knockout blow to most quadrella investors.
Rattray’s well-bred filly Codie Karalta (Jennas Beach Boy-Amarillen) powered home at the rate of knots to edge out interstate invader and race favourite Madame Lily with Klebnikova Leis a close-up third.
Codie Karalta was given the run of the race by experienced reinsman John Walters who had the filly settled in the one-out-two-back position.
When the tailenders began to make their moves Walters was not perturbed and held his position and when the gaps appeared in the home straight the filly burst through late to grab victory in the shadows of the post to score by a head.
Codie Maverick is closely related to Rattray’s ill-fated star two-year-old Cody Maverick that fell in the final of the Breeders Crown at Bendigo two years ago and had to be euthanized.
Before this most recent victory Codie Karalta had only won one race but her trainer never lost faith.
“I always knew she would come right one day,’ Rattray said.
“I’ve been training her a bit differently of late and you never know for sure if it’s going to work until you get to the races.”
“She only had to go around properly to be a chance,” he said.
The only other long shot winner Rattray has prepared was Admiral Karalta that paid $121 on the Tote when he won the Tasmanian Derby in 1997, although bookies that night had him a 16-1 chance.