Tasmanian Performances During The Week
James Rattray – Three Winners
James Rattray drove three winners over the past seven days. The highlight was his win with Freyberg in the $30,000 Free For All at Menangle last Saturday night. The race was Smoken Up’s last hurrah at Menangle, the track where he raced at his absolute best including an Australasian record 1:48.5 winning the 2011 Len Smith Mile. Freyberg arrived late to defeat Smoken Up by a head in 1:51.7 for the mile.
Freyberg is trained by Kevin Pizzuto and James teamed up with Kevin again to win with The Empires Sister at Newcastle on Friday. His other winner was the two year old colt Artistic Flite at Menangle on Tuesday in a heat of the Breeders Crown. Artistic Flite is trained by A Golino.
Alex Ashwood – Three Winners
The winners keep coming for Alex Ashwood with another three over the last week. He drove a double with Cootas Tooth and Rocky Carrington at Bendigo on Friday and followed up with Western Gretel at Melton on Saturday night.
Joshua Duggan
Joshua Duggan kept the winners ticking over with Countdown at Cobram last Thursday. With five weeks of the season remaining, Joshua is in third place on the Victorian Concession Driver table with 43 wins. Alex Ashwood is in seventh position with 32 wins. Jason Lee leads with 59 winners.
Laterron
Laterron is racing very well and flashed home again for third from a wide draw at Menangle on Saturday night. Delightful Christian was in the same race and she did a power of work early before death seating and eventually dropping out to finish at the tail of the field.
Broadband, Franco Sheffield and Birdy Mach at Melton
Broadband had his first mainland start last Saturday at Melton. Trained by Rodney Ashwood and driven by his son Alex, Broadband ($63) was a rank outsider but his run was super. After settling midfield, Alex set Broadband alight down the back the first time and he almost succeeded in stealing the lead but had to settle for the death seat. Broadband fought it out right to the line and finished fourth beaten six meters.
Franco Sheffield looked a place chance in the $20,000 The Graduate for three year olds but finished sixth after locking wheels at a crucial stage. Birdy Mach (Art Major – Pixel Perfect) suffered his first defeat from three starts when second to Kept Under Wraps in the $50,000 Tatlow Stakes (2YO C&G).
Remember Joe and The Majority at Melton
Remember Joe and The Majority are both engaged at Melton in Race 6 on Friday night. Remember Joe is trained by Juanita McKenzie who is fourth on the Tasmanian Trainers Premiership with 27 wins. The leaders are Barrie Rattray (65), Zeke Slater (44) and Paul Ashwood (29)
Remember Joe has won two of his last four and finished a mere 0.8 meters and 2.3 meters behind Pachacuti in the other two. Pachacuti is the best pacer racing in Tasmania.
The Majority is having his third Melton start for David Dwyer and is a place chance with the right run.
Wade Rattray
Twenty two year old Wade Rattray landed his first winner with Divas Delight at Hobart on Sunday. Divas Delight is trained by Wade’s uncle, Barrie Rattray. Wade rated Divas Delight perfectly from the death seat and the pair went on to record a comfortable three meter victory.
Wade is the son of Lietinna (near Scottsdale) trainer Kent Rattray and obtained his drivers licence in early May this year. The win came at Wade’s tenth race drive but it was not unexpected as Wade had registered four seconds and two thirds from his first nine drives.
Ben Parker
Ben Parker and Fletch Davis are proving to be a formidable combination with wins at Devonport on 7 July and 21 July and going on the mile rates of 2:00.9 (2297 meters) and 2:00.7 (1930 meters) more victories are possible.
Twenty nine year old Parker obtained his driving licence in April 2010 and his first two winners were in August 2010 (Special Gallenti) and January 2011 (Light The Lantern). A long drought followed before he saluted again with Takeaway Koala at Devonport in May this year leading up to his two wins with Fletch Davis.
Sunday Twilight at Launceston – Nine Races
There are nine races at Launceston on Sunday night. Highlights include:
• Two divisions of the two year old race – races 4 and 9.
• Even races with good field sizes.
• A C4/C6 (Race 7) with plenty of depth including last start winners Another Jasper, El Jays Magic, Clamorous, Black Centurian and Spitfire Rose.
• Pachacuti in the free for all (Race 8) where the four year old gelding will be attempting his sixth consecutive win as he tunes up for the Breeders Crown 4YO series which commences at Melton on Sunday 17 August.
Monday Night at Hobart – Six Races
The first is at 6.07 and the last at 8.44.
One Meeting Per Week
Next week, harness racing reverts back to the August, September and October schedule of one Sunday twilight meeting per week.
Harness Form Analysis
Information on both Launceston and Hobart will be available at Tasracing Punters Corner.