THE Barrie Rattray stable has been ticking along nicely this season and last Sunday night in Hobart was no exception.
Rattray prepared a race-to-race double and both winners were impressive.
Biggernbettermax (Modern Art-Bar Ron) scored a courageous win in a C2 over 2090 metres despite having to face the breeze for most of the race and well-bred three-year-old filly Brezhnev Leis scored a runaway win in a 3C0-3C1 over the same distance.
The trainer’s son Gareth Rattray partnered both of his father’s winners and he rated Biggernbettermax’s performance as “enormous”.
Iden Justasmyrk was sent out the long odds-on favourite and when he led from the pole position (barrier one) punters were heading for the pay-out line with a lap to go.
But 100 metres out the leader started to feel the pinch and had no answer to Biggernbettermax’s powerful finish.
Biggernbettermax hit the line a short half-head clear of Blacktie Affair with Iden Justasmyrk hanging on for third just in advance of the luckless Harbhajan.
Brezhnev Leis’ win however was a stroll in the park compared to her stablemate.
The Village Jasper filly drew the inside of the second row (barrier 8) and settled at the rear of the field after the pole marker Delta Dee Dee was eased off the gate.
Odins Dragon Rider scorched across fro gate six to lead and set a comfortable pace but when Rattray eased his charge out three-wide down the back the last time she zipped around the field and went on to score by 11 metres from the Doug Nettlefold-trained Just Dance Baby with Smokin Mustard over three metres away third.
Brezhnev Leis has had only four starts this season for two wins and as many minor placings. The filly races more attractively this time in and is likely to be a contender in some of the better quality fillies’ races in the coming months.