STAR pacer Beautide and his talented trainer-driver James Rattray were the toast of Tasmania last night after they teamed up to win the Group 1 $750,000 Miracle Mile at Menangle in NSW.
It was a brilliant performance by Beautide and an equally brilliant drive from Rattray who proved himself a master tactician.
“I can’t believe it, this is unreal and I’m lost for words – I just won the Miracle Mile.” Rattray said after the race.
Rattray, 28, becomes the youngest trainer in the races history to win Australasia’s premier speed test and Beautide the first Tasmanian-owned and bred to win the race since the great Halwes was triumphant in 1968.
Rattray settled Beautide three-back the fence and he was keen to secure that spot despite having landed in the one-out-one-back position soon after the start.
Smoken Up held the lead from the pole position while the heavily backed For A Reason dropped down the fence to trail the leader with Beautide on his back.’
The first quarter was reached in 26.6 seconds.
Smoken Up led the way entering the back straight while Restrepo moved up on the outside before taking cover on Christen Me who was then forced to face the breeze.
The half was reached in 55.4 seconds after a second quarter was posted in 28.8 seconds.
Smoken Up continued to dictate terms in front while his rivals lay in waiting, Christen Me applied more pressure while New Zealand hero Terror To Love launched a wide and sweeping after settling last.
The third quarter was registered in 28.6 seconds.
As the field straightened, Christen Me soon got the better of Smoken Up while For A Reason eased away from the inside and followed Christen Me leaving a dream passage for Beautide to shoot through on the inside.
As soon as Christen Me was being hailed the winner, Beautide ($5.10) produced a scintillating turn of foot to grab the leaders and drew clear to win by five metres from Christen Me ($6.10) with the favourite For A Reason ($2.90) almost two metres away third.
Beautide clocked a mile rate of 1:50.2 with the final quarter clocked in 26.2 seconds.
Beautide has now won his last seven starts in succession with the Group 1 $400,000 SEW Eurodrive Victoria Cup at TabcorpPark, Melton on December 14 likely to be his next assignment.
Photo courtesy of News Ltd.
Related links:
- Race replay [Trots TV (Harness Racing NSW) website]
- Beautide the family’s Miracle horse (includes audio interview with Barrie Rattray)