THE Rattray family has dominated Tasmanian harness racing for three decades and now one member of the family is helping to spread the name globally.
While Barrie Rattray continues to train multiple winners at many meetings in Tasmania and his sons Gareth and Todd continually share the spoils in the sulky, older brother James is making his mark as a reinsman in the US.
Last season Gareth Rattray won his sixth successive driver’s premiership while younger brother Todd easily took out the state’s Novice Driver’s title.
The pair has kept the ball rolling at the first two meetings of this season. Last Sunday night in Launceston Gareth drove a double and Todd snared one winner on the seven-event card.
In the US, James Rattray has notched six winners in the past two months, winning at a mummer of venues including New York and Pennsylvania.
James is based in New Jersey with the Noel Daley stable. His biggest win was in Pennsylvania last month where he won a $40,000 race and he finished third in an $80,000 trot race.
He has recently acquired a sportsman’s visa that will allow him an extended stay in the US.
In Launceston on Sunday night Gareth guided Melman to an all-the-way victory for his father Barrie and he also delivered the goods aboard Karalta Wizard that is owned and trained by his grandfather Wayne Rattray.
Todd partnered the in-form Saab Quality to an effortless all-the-way win in the Furniture City Free-For-All.