Longford-based trainer-driver Todd Rattray will head to Launceston on Friday night with three chances across the eight-race card, but it is promising filly Quetzalli who shapes as the headline runner for the stable in the seventh race, a three-year-old race restricted to horses with no more than one lifetime win over 2200m.
The Rattray stable will also be represented by All About Sadie, who resumed off a strong first-up effort after a long break, and Victory George, who has a wide draw to overcome earlier in the night.
Quetzalli has had three runs back from a break, and has been placed on all three occasions, including a second to Wazowski when only defeated a head in April, an eye-catching third to Amelias Jewel on 1 May, where she hit the line well in a quick last half-mile, before a last start third, when defeated 4.2m as the $2.60 favourite.
“Her last start was probably ordinary when I drove her, as she sort of didn’t finish off as she had been at two previous runs, but we have changed a couple of things at home with her since.
“If she gets around properly and goes like her previous two runs before her last start, she should be near the finish.”
The daughter of Captain Crunch is out of Benediction, making her a half-relation to recent Menangle Free For All winner Nyack and 2020 Globe Derby winner Kohanah.
“She’s just taken a while to get going, and obviously she’s still learning, and she’s probably still got a long way to go, but she feels like she’ll get better every time she gets around.”
Rattray also confirmed the longer-term target is likely the Bandbox later in the season, but said the immediate focus is just getting her around properly and winning a few races.
Earlier in the night, All About Sadie will be chasing her first win back from a break when she goes into the National Rating 43 to 47 race over 2200m.
The Betting Line mare was narrowly defeated when first up for close to a year on 15 May.
“She went well first-up. Obviously, she was probably a bit heavy, but she’s sort of trimmed up a bit more.
“She’s got a good draw, but there’s a fair bit of gate speed outside me, I think. But we’ll try and run the gate and see what happens,” said the trainer-driver.
Victory George, who will be driven by the Rattray Stable’s claiming novice driver Ethan Arnott in the sulky, is the other runner for the Rattray camp engaged at the meeting in a National Rating 48 to 52 race.
The well-travelled pacer has had two starts in Tasmania after being purchased by Liam Older.
“He took a little bit to work out earlier on, but he got home good for Ethan last start.
“Obviously, he probably will need a good run again (from barrier seven) to get home, but he’s sort of getting a bit fitter for us now, so he might be able to do a bit of work to get into the race,” the trainer said.
The first of eight races is scheduled for 17:10.
