Rookie trainer hoping for Cup win

Former reinsman Adam Rattray has turned his attention to training, and at only his second start as a harness racing trainer, he has a runner engaged in the 7BU Burnie Cup on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 22).

Adam will saddle up 20m back marker Kuzma (Highview Tommy), who he also owns, in the $14,000 event.

“I was born into it, and I have always liked the horses and thought I would give it ago,” said Adam, who has Kuzma and Carols Judge in his stable, that he intends on training as a hobby around his work commitments.

Kuzma, who Adam also owns, has earned over $100,000 in stakes and has been trained by his brother Todd up until the pacers’ last start fourth in Launceston, which was Adam’s first start as a trainer.

“He has been pretty much mine (from a young horse), I have done a lot of work with him, and he has been a good little horse for me,” Adam said.

The owner-trainer was also quick to point out the efforts of concession reinsman Liam Older who has been in the sulky for nine of the pacers’ 13 wins.

“He and Liam (Older) were a good combination but nothing lasts forever, as he has gone to Victoria.”

Driving responsibilities on Sunday have been left to Adam’s younger brother Todd.

“Off 20m and a standing start, we are going to need a lot of luck in that race as Burnie is suited to the front runners,” Adam said.

The race has attracted an even field, including Mister Gently, who has won the Cup in the past two runnings, only the third horse to do so in the race.

Trained locally at Stowport by his driver Craig Hayes, Mister Gently will become the first horse in Burnie Cup history to have won the race on three occasions.

The Burnie Cup was first held by the Emu Bay Racing Club from 1919 to 1924 and was then added back to the calendar by the Burnie Trotting Club, as it was then known, in 1953.

Sunday’s card commences at 15:11 and will be split across Sky Racing 1 and 2.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing