STAR Tasmanian reinsman Gareth Rattray reached a great milestone in his career in Launceston on Sunday night where he captured his 1000th winner.
He ended the program in Launceston with two winners to expand his lifetime win tally and take his season total to 59 wins.
Reaching such a mark at the age of 29 is quite a remarkable feat and while historians continue to search the records to establish whether or not he is the youngest to achieve the milestone it is clear that he already is one of the greatest reinsmen to ever sit in a sulky in Tasmania.
Rattray is just the fifth Tasmanian reinsman to achieve the feat – the others being is father Barrie Rattray (1567 wins), Neville Webberley (1369), Ricky Duggan (1332) and the late Darrel Alexander (1315).
This season he will win his 10th consecutive driver’s title as he already has 59 wins that places him 25 clear of his nearest rival Ricky Duggan.
For Rattray to reach 1000 winners in only 13 years in the sulky is an amazing effort given Tasmania boasts on average only 1.5 meetings a year.
Rattray, who is the twin brother of James who has taken all before him in recent years winning back-to-back Inter Dominions with Beautide, began driving late in the 2001 season and after winning his first driver’s premiership in 2005-06 he has dominated the state’s driving ranks.
If he wins this year’s driver’s title he will be only three premierships behind the great Jack Stamford who won 13.
Gareth’s father Barrie won 11 while Neville Webberley and Bert Lewis each won seven.
Along the way Rattray has represented Tasmania numerous times and he has twice won the Australasian Young Driver’s Championship with his first in New Zealand in 2003 and in 2010 he was successful when the series was held in NSW.
He also represented Australia at the World Driving Championships in Europe in 2009.
Rattray is no stranger to winning feature races with the following just a few of his major successes:
- Tasmania Cup 2012 (Motu Crusader) and 2013 (Motu Crusader).
- Tasmanian Derby 2015 (Mister Lennox).
- Hobart Pacing Cup 2005 (The Grouse), 2009 (Yakuza), 2013 (Benediction) and 2014 (Spot Nine).
- Evicus Stakes (2YO fillies) 2008 (Karalta Crown) and 2010 (Benediction).
- Dandy Patch (2YO colts and geldings) 2008 (Cody Maverick).
- Globe Derby (3YO) Stakes 2011 (Beautide).
- Raider Stakes (4YO) 2010 (Babyitsu).
- Granny Smith (4YO Mares) 2007 (Death and Taxes).
- 2YO Sweepstakes 2010 (Benediction), 2011 (Cloudy Delight) and 2012 (Pachacuti).
Photo courtesy of Greg Mansfield.