Having surpassed the 900-win milestone with a double in Hobart on Wednesday, trainer/driver Todd Rattray repeated the feat with the first two wins on the Sunday afternoon program in Launceston.
Todd was in the sulky of both Preparation ($4) and Magic Joe ($5.50), two horses that he also trains, with both landing impressive wins.
Preparation was a particularly tough win to start the day, forced to work in the first half of the race to take up a position outside the leader, Can Feel The Fury ($31), in the NR 58 to 64 event (2200m).
After quarters of 32 and 30.8, they ran home in 28.5 and 28.6, with Todd left to fight off a challenge from his older brother Gareth with $21 outsider, National News, holding that pacer at bay with a 1.7m margin on the line.
A lightly raced four-year-old, gelded son of Lather Up and Lynninemach, Preparation has now won four of his 12 career starts after debuting with a win in the $20,000 Eric Reece Memorial in March last year.
Later in the program, Premiership-leading driver Dylan Ford teamed up with his mother, Tammy Langley, for a race-to-race double.
Rollwitharty ($4.20) led throughout and withstood a strong challenge from Hay Miki ($3.90) in the home straight to win the 6TY Stakes (1680m), before Goodtime Oscar ($5.50) sat outside the speed and was far too good in the Family Fun Night Saturday 4 April Pace (2200m).
Lougle ($1.45) continued her winning ways for trainer/driver Conor Crook, taking out the final race of the day, her third win in succession and sixth overall from just 10 starts.
Looking ahead, there’s back-to-back Tasmanian harness meetings, with a Good Friday card in Hobart forming part of a dual code meeting with the greyhounds. On Saturday night, it’s a 10-race showcase in Launceston, featuring the $75,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Easter Cup.
