Tasracing

Former Tasmanian horse of the year, Ignatius, will have his first start in Tasmania since January 2018, when he lines up in the Impress Print Free For All in Launceston at 19:52 on Sunday.

The multiple Group 1 winner has been in the New South Wales stables of James Rattray since March 2018 and this season the gelded son of Roll With Joe has had 12 starts for two wins and three placings.

Ignatius last raced on 1 August when sixth in a Group 3 event at Menangle, and returned to his original trainer Todd Rattray straight after that effort.

“We just thought we would bring him back home and give him a short let up, and bring him back up in Tasmania like we always did as a two and three-year-old,” said his Tasmanian trainer Todd Rattray.

Ignatius has won all five of his Tasmania starts, and he will run the race favourite in Sunday’s $8,100 event where he is the sole second-row runner in the 1680-metre event.

“He is working well, but he is a little fat, he will probably need a run to trim him up and be at peak fitness, but his times at home are good, I just have nothing at home to work with him, and it’s hard to take horses that class to the trials,” added Rattray who takes the drive on Sunday.

The race sees noted front runner Call Me Hector engaged and the Matthew Cooper-trained and driven pacer is drawn to take up that role once again.

Call Me Hector, a recent Hobart trial winner, holds the state record of 1m 54.3s and goes into the race off an all-the-way to win in Launceston last start where he dashed home in 56.7s. Which made it hard for the race favourite Ryley Major to run him down, and if Matthew Cooper adopts similar tactics again, Ignatius will have to be at the top of his game to run him down.

“Call Me Hector is a classy horse, the mile races are his go, and he just keeps running, The Shallows is a nice horse on the way up, and Lip Reader is flying at present, so there are a few in it that go well,” said Rattray about his rivals.

Rattray has another five runners engaged on the nine-race card where he rates Feel The Burn in race seven as the best of his remaining chances.

“She got home in 56.25s (fastest last half of the meeting) last start in Launceston where we chased home Art Frenzy,” said Rattray about the mare who hasn’t had luck on her side in her last two outings.

The first race tonight has been pushed back a couple of minutes to now start at 17:19 which will now enable all races to be shown on Sky Racing 1 as well as TasracingTV and Sky Racing Active.

Watch Call Me Hector lead all the way to win on 19 July: