News Article

Beautide on target for Derby

16 / 02 / 2011 Article by: Editor
Beautide - on track for a tilt at Tasmanian Derby in Hobart on March 20
icon Click to enlarge

THE Barry Rattray-trained harness racing three-year-old Beautide kept his unbeaten record this season intact with another emphatic win, this time against older horses in the Furniture City Pace over 2200 metres at The TOTE Racing centre on Sunday night.

With James Rattray in the sulky, Beautide weaved his way through the field in the final lap and when taken to the outside in the home straight he powered home to defeat Black Flyer by almost six metres with Touchwood Teeksta two metres astern.

Truly Blissful showed good early speed to lead with Touchwood Teeksta’s driver David Medhurst keen to send his charge around the field to face the breeze after travelling about 500 metres.

That move ensured a solid tempo and allowed Beautide to get into the race from the 800-metre mark.

It was an outstanding performance from the three-year-old that has what it takes to give trainer Rattray his first Tasmanian Derby.

“I’ve had a few seconds in the Derby so it is a race that I would dearly love to win,” Rattray said.

“The horse is progressing well towards the Derby. He appears to be getting better with each run,” he said.

Beautide (Bettors Delight-Gorse Bush) was one of last season’s best two-year-olds and has gone on as his trainer predicted.