Nine-year-old gelding, Star Major ($3.10 fav), added another feature race to his record when claiming the Metropolitan Cup (2579m) in Hobart on Saturday night.
The Todd Rattray-trained and driven pacer, who was second-up from a spell, worked forward from his second-row draw in the middle stages of the race to find the spot outside the leader near the 1400m.
Rattray put the foot down at the 400m, with the pacer proving too tough late for the fast finishing Just Tiger ($3.50) by 1.3m, with The Shallows ($10) a further 6.3m away third in 1:58.7s.
“I thought he was good first-up. He is better over a bit of distance when he is in front or in the breeze,” said Rattray post-race.
“He was getting a bit tired late, but when he does get tired, he still runs those 29s quarters.
“We are taking it week by week with him and hopefully he can win a few more in the future,’ the trainer-driver added.
Colts & Geldings Sweepstakes
It was a feature race double for Rattray, who earlier in the night prepared Bettors Delight colt, Rainbow Ranger ($9) to victory in the Fehlbergs Produce 2YO Colts & Geldings Sweepstakes Final (1609m).
From barrier two, Rattray had the pacer settled one-out and two-back after being kept out of the early speed battle.
Rattray was able to get the pacer into clear racing room out four-wide turning for home, where he sprinted home best to score by 1.6m over B T Captivate ($3.50) and Barber Shop ($3 eq. fav) in 1:57.4s.
“They went solid early, and he has got a good bit of speed, which he produced, and I was very happy with him.
“He got a check near the 400m in his heat, and he felt like he was going to sprint home pretty good. I was half confident that if he got a good run, he would be in the finish, and he is just a nice little horse, and hopefully he can do a good job in the future,” said Rattray.
Rainbow Ranger was purchased for $27,500 at last year’s Nutrien Equine Yearling Sales in Sydney, and Rattray indicated the pacer would likely have a freshen-up.
Fillies Sweepstakes
Stay Hungry filly Zoe Ella ($10) claimed her maiden victory in the Fehlbergs Produce 2YO Fillies Final (1609m).
Trainer-driver Rohan Hillier had the filly settled behind the leader, before finishing off best to score in the home straight to win by 1.4m over Ravishing Ruby ($1.14 fav) in 1:57.4s.
“When the draws came out, I thought she was a good chance to run second or third, but the way it mapped out after the first 600m, she was going to be a good chance.
“She wasn’t too bad in her heat, she probably had to find a length or so and that she did.
“Marc (Panton, part-owner) had her paid up for the race and sent her down here. I can’t take too much credit as Beck (Bartley) had done all the work with her (in Victoria).
Hillier indicated the $14,000 purchase from last year’s Australian Pacing Gold Melbourne sale was likely to be sent for a spell, and like Rainbow Ranger, isn’t Tasbred, reducing her potential targets in the state this season.
