Harnessing fun all in the family
HARNESS racing has always been a family sport and that was evident in Hobart last night with the win of two-yearold pacer Princess Luna in the $12,000 Belmont Pace over 1609m.
Princess Luna made an impressive debut and two of her young owners were on hand to celebrate the victory.
The filly is raced by Lisa Schnackenberg, Lauren and Kenzie Rattray, Grace and Hugo Schnackenberg and Jackson Burke. The Rattrays are the daughters of champion reinsman Gareth Rattray and trainer Melissa Maine.
Gareth partnered Princess Luna to victory and he was as elated as his children when the filly powered home along the sprint lane to grab race leader Blossom Grant in the shadows of the post.
“This filly belongs to our kids and other children from Melissa’s and my family,” Gareth Rattray said.
“The filly was bred by John Brown and Rick Rockliff and when they decided not to race her because she was too small, we leased her and the kids became involved and it went from there.
“She has always shown ability and has kept improving at home and tonight she did a really good job to win on debut.
“It’s so good because the filly is fantastic with the children and the kids feel such an important part of it now that the filly is racing.”
Maine also was ecstatic with the win but more so for her children.
“Both of the children were excited and have been all day, but Lauren in particular while the race was on,” Maine said.
“It’s so good for them to have this sort of involvement and with any sort of luck the kids should have a healthy bank balance at the end of the year.” TALENTED four-year-old gelding Jaks Teller notched his first win this preparation when he toughed it out to emerge triumphant in a C4-C6 event over 2090m.
Jaks Teller ($3.30) worked hard midrace to land outside of the leader and race favourite Usain Jolt ($1.80), but when driver Ricky Duggan called on his charge for the big effort in the home straight he responded brilliantly.
The Juanita McKenzietrained gelding went on to score by over 5m from Usain Jolt with Lockaway Kacie ($21) a game third just over a metre away and just ahead of the fast-finishing The Aussie ($6).