Tasmanian Performances During The Week
HRA Awards – Barynya and Beautide
More accolades have been directed to Barynya and Beautide after Harness Racing Australia officially recognised them as the best in Australia for the racing season 2013/14. Barynya was declared the 3YO Pacing Filly Of The Year. Beautide received three awards – Aged Pacing Horse/Gelding Of The Year, Australian Pacer Of The Year and Australian Harness Horse Of The Year.
Barynya had 10 wins and four placings from 15 starts for $210,282 in stakemoney. Her stake money tally was the 17th highest of all trotters and pacers last season. Barynya’s best wins were the Victorian Oaks and the Tasmanian Oaks. She finished second in the Breeders Crown Final.
Beautide had 12 wins and a placing for 14 starts for $1,119,844 in stakemoney, well ahead of his nearest rival For A Reason ($455,828). Beautide’s best wins were the Miracle Mile, Inter Dominion and Len Smith Mile.
The national awards take the Tasmanian tally to five since the awards were started in 1976. Previous Tasmanian winners were:
1978 The Yank – 2YO Pacer Of The Year
1990 Thorate – Australian Horse Of The Year
1990 Halyer – 3YO Pacer Of The Year
The national two and three year old categories were divided by sex in 1996 and the Mare Of The Year was introduced at the same time. Jane Ellen can be considered unlucky as she was the standout three year old filly in 1990 winning the Victorian and NSW Oaks and was second in the Queensland Oaks. As a 4YO, she won an Inter Dominion heat, was fourth to Thorate in the final, won the Mildura Cup, Ladyship Cup and the Four and Five Year Old Championship.
There is a chance that Tasmania may figure in another HRA annual award for 2013/14. The Broodmare Of The Year award is due to be announced shortly and Gorse Bush, the dam of Beautide, is expected to be a contender. Liza Storm is the only Tasmanian broodmare to win this national award and she did it three times – 1988 (shared with Sally Alla), 1989 and 1990.
The HRA national awards will be presented to the connections of Barynya and Beautide at the LPC Friday night meeting on 21 November 2014. It is hoped that Barynya will be paraded on course when her award is presented.
Beautide is Back
Beautide started his journey to the 2014 Miracle Mile with a solid first up third at Menangle on Saturday night. Driver James Rattray took hold early from the wide draw and slotted in at the rear of the eight horse field. Noted speed horse Suave Stuey Lombo led and lived right up to his reputation by carving out the mile in a very quick 1.50.1.
Beautide was brave and made good ground on the leader up the long straight at Menangle and finished third only 2.4 meters from Suave Stuey Lombo. Considering that the best that Beautide has recorded is 1.50.2, which was in the Miracle Mile last year, there was plenty to like about his first up effort and he remains the measuring stick for other Miracle Mile contenders.
Rattray and Duggan Again!
The Rattray and Duggan surnames figured prominently at Launceston last Sunday. Todd and Barrie Rattray combined for a double with Fioki and Divas Delight and Ricky Duggan achieved the same with The Majority and Ardlussa Express.
Call Me Mouse won at its third race start after finishing second and third at its first two trips to the races. Bred by Fred and Pauline Barker the four year old gelding (Modern Art – Apple Sorbet) is raced by Nick and Carmel Perotti from Pipers River at trained at Lietinna by Kent Rattray.
Hesa Prospect (Modern Art – Shes An Atom) completed a double for Modern Art with an impressive first up win after a three year injury enforced break from the track. Duncan Dornauf drove the six year old gelding conservatively recording a narrow but decisive victory.
Eight Races at Hobart
Eight races are scheduled at Hobart on Sunday night. In Race 1, there are two first starters. Barooza (N1) is trained by Barrie Battray. The three year old gelding (Village Jasper – Barooga Sands) was second to Lucky Libby at the Carrick trials. The other is the four year old New Zealand bred mare Highview Christina (N10) who has won two recent Hobart trials and her winning time last Monday night indicates she is likely to start a short priced favourite for trainer Juanita McKenzie and driver Rod Ashwood.
Falco Peregrinus (R4 N7) is back from a five month spell and only needs to pick up where he left off to figure prominently in the finish. Prior to his spell he had a win and seven placings from eight starts including a narrow defeat in the Easter Cup.
Greysteel (N6) is the query horse in Race 6, the Wolfe Brothers Pace for the open class performers. The Zeke Slater trained 10 year old gelding has been completely off his game at his first two starts this preparation prompting the stewards to send him back to the trials. He has completed his time in the ‘sin bin’ and indicated he may be back to his best with a smart trial win at Hobart on Monday 15 September rating 2.00.6 for 2090 meters.
Harness Form Analysis
Information on this weeks Tasmanian races will be available at Tasracing’s Punters Corner.