North East Pacing Cup returns to Scottsdale

January 10, 2020, was the last harness racing meeting held at the Scottsdale recreation ground, where South Australian-trained Ideal World won the North Eastern Pacing Cup.

While Scottsdale’s premier race has been held at alternative venues for the past two years, the $14,000 event returns to its spiritual home on Friday evening, where the locals will look to put their hands on the cup again.

The Northeast representation this year includes a two-prong attack from Lietinna trainer Kent Rattray with Rockandahardplace (Pet Rock) and Colby Sanz (Betterthancheddar), who ran the quinella in the cup last year when held in Launceston.

Rockandahardplace will be driven by Kent’s son Wade, who also races the pacer on lease.

The six-year-old gelding has won over $100,000 in stake earnings, and after showing promise as a two-year-old, the gelding is racing up to those expectations in recent years.

“Early days, he showed ability and he won the Debutante Stakes first up, and we thought we have got a nice two-year-old.

“From there, he lost his will to race a little bit and went through the motions, but he has gone on now and is more than a handy horse,” explained Kent on this week’s Festival Favourites video on Tasracing’s social media pages.

The pacer’s most recent win was in late October when contesting a discretionary handicap in Burnie, where he led all the way.

“I think a lot of his family like to be up in that top two or three. They don’t seem to charge from behind that well, but they do have a strong constitution to work hard and find the line,” said Kent.

Colby Sanz is his other stable representative, with Kent’s nephew Gareth booked for the drive.

“Colby and Rocky have both sparred against each other through the years and Colby probably slightly more so than a young horse, probably the last 12 months Rocky has the edge on him a little bit, but there is very little in them,” said Kent.

Also representing the northeast region is Buster William, who is the only horse in the race to have competed on the Scottsdale track, including a second placing in the 2019 Cup when defeated a neck by Black Centurion.

Although trained at Carrick by Mark Yole, the pacer is raced by several owners, including his Scottsdale breeders Wayne and Wanda Campbell.

Local reinsman Rohan Hadley will be chasing his fourth cup victory, and he will take the reins on Montana Storm, who is one of two 20m back markers.

His previous winners in the race were aboard Romantic Man (1993), Flora Grant (1996) and Paleface Jane (1999).

The cup is race seven on an eight-race card that commences at 16:04.

For those heading on track, there is a host of attractions, including five food outlets, pony trots, Tug of war, fashions on the field, free kids entertainment and former AFL superstar Matthew Richardson will also be in attendance.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing