Nyack (inside) running second to Leap To Fame last Saturday night
A DASH of Jimmy Rattray daring has boosted Tasmanian’s prospects of having at least two finalists in the $1 million Ladbrokes Inter Dominion pacing final on Saturday week.
Rattray, famous for winning successive Inter Dominion finals on the great Beautide in 2014 and ’15, almost turned a horror draw into a win in last Saturday night’s opening round heat at Albion Park.
Nyack scorched out of the outside barrier seven to cross the field and lead before Rattray intelligently opted to the take a sit on champion Leap To Fame.
For a brief moment in the home straight, a Nyack threatened to cause a monstrous upset when he charged at Leap To Fame along the sprint lane, but the champ lifted to win by 2.2m in by far the strongest and faster of the three pacing heats of the night.
“That’s probably as good as he’s ever gone,” Rattray said. “Just a for a stride or two I thought I was going to get to him, but Leap To Fame found again as he always does.
“My guy was fantastic. We had to really burn at the start and Leap To Fame didn’t, so to then finish if off as strongly as we did was great.
“We thought he was as good as we’ve had him coming up here and he’s run right up to that.”
The run set up Nyack to make the final after he was unlucky last year and emergency for the big one.
Nyack is drawn to use his early speed again from gate four in the second and last round of heats next Saturday, almost cementing his final spot.
The other strongest Tasmanian connection is with the state’s best pacer, Triedtotellya, who ran a sound fourth in a strangely run second heat last Saturday night.
“I thought he would’ve run third and beaten the leader (Speak The Truth), but the first two place-getters (Fighter Command and War Dan Buddy) had the momentum out wide,” trainer-driver Rohan Hillier said.
“No excuses. He’s come through it well and I’m hoping the run brings him and we can make the final.”
Triedtotellya needs a top three finish next Saturday night to be assured of a final berth, which won’t be easy from a wide draw (gate five) against big guns Leap To Fame and The Janitor.
The Tassie flavour shone brightly on opening night with Tasmanian-owned pair Fighter Command and Max Delight winning and running third respectively.
Both are well placed to make the final, which could give Tasmania genuine connections to four finalists if Nyack and Triedtotellya make it through, too.
Fighter Command, a winner of two Beautides in Tasmania, provided the story of night one when he stormed home from near last to win.
He is a lasting connection to the late Greg Sugars.
The big, raw, slow maturing and gifted Fighter Command was a real “project” horse for Sugars and his wife, trainer Jess Tubbs.
“This a huge thrill. A special win,” Tubbs said.
The Mick Maxfield-owned Max Delight is a marvel. The 10-year-old boasts 38 wins and over $2 million.
This is his fifth Inter Dominion series and another bold showing in the second round of heats will get him into a fourth final. He ran fourth in 2021, third in 2024 and fifth last year.
PHOTO: Toby Coutts
