Rattray back in Tasmania to make an impact

When Tasmanian-born harness racing trainer Ken Rattray headed to Queensland about 20 years ago he didn't think he'd ever be back living in his home state.

But unhappy with how the racing industry is shaping in the sunshine state he and his life partner Sally Stingel, who also is a Tasmanian, leased a property at Flowery Gully in the state's north and they are well on the way to establishing a handy training complex.

While in Queensland they trained and raced Destreos that became an icon courtesy of his dexterity and love of racing so much so that in Hobart tonight the gelded son of Canadian sire Astreos will be having 439th start.

During a racing career that spans almost 12 years, Destreos has amassed 96 wins and 133 minor placings for career stake earnings of almost $800,000.

There isn't a horse anywhere else in Australia that can match those statistics.

On Sunday night Destreos, owned by Stingel and trained by Rattray, will start from the outside of the second row in the Cannonball Charge, the feature race on the eight-event program in Hobart.

Since arriving in the state in August Destreos has had four starts, all in Launceston, for a first-up second but he finished out of a place at his three subsequent starts.

Rattray also will hitch up Im Born to Rule in the same race and he comes off a last-start win at bolter's odds in a heat of the Australian Drivers Championship in Hobart two weeks ago.

Rattray will partner the gelding that has notched 350 starts for 38 wins and 83 minor placings for over $205,000 in stakes.

While Destreos and Im Born To Rule will be competitive they will both need to be at the top of their game with Devendra in the race.

Devendra heads to the Inter Dominion series in Western Australia on Monday and his trainer Todd Rattray is hoping he can emulate this feats at the Inter series two years ago in which he won two heats to make it through to the final.

Ken Rattray also will be hoping his handy six-year-old Tuxedo Max can make it three wins from his past four starts when he steps out in a C5-C7 over 1609 metres (race 3), in which he has drawn the pole position.

The gelding should only need to step well from the mobile to lead and if that eventuates he should be very hard to run down.

Peter Staples