Tears of joy as Star shines
EVERGREEN pacer Star Chamber turned back the clock to deliver an amazing performance to win the $ 25,000 Hobart Pacing Cup final over 2579m at Elwick last night.
Star Chamber, a dual Tasmanian Cup winner, had not won since June last year and at age 12, he became the oldest winner of the time- honoured event.
He won the race as a sixyear- old in 2015 but his trainer Bianca Heenan said this latest triumph meant more than anyone could know.
“This win means so much to me and everyone connected with the horse because he is absolutely amazing,” Heenan said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“He sure showed who’s boss tonight.”
Star Chamber ($ 34) was given a gun run by Dylan them
Ford, who assumed control but was pleased to hand up to the favourite Ryley Major ($ 2.30) at the halfway mark.
When the field turned for the run home, Ryley Major kicked clear and was being hailed the winner, but with the use of the sprint lane, Star Chamber unleashed his sprint of old to gather in the favourite close to home.
Heenan said Star Chamber will likely head towards another Group 2 Tasmania Cup at Elwick in March. CHAMPION reinsman Gareth Rattray emerged from the extended 2019- 20 season with his 11th driver’s premiership, breaking a five- season drought.
Rattray, who won 10 premierships in succession from 2005- 2015 and represented Australia at the World Driving Championships in 2009, said this recent premiership was as sweet as his first.
“This one went right down to the wire and being that close made it intriguing,” Rattray said.
He went into the final meeting of the season at De
vonport last week a win behind joint leaders Rohan Hillier and Connor Crook, but with Crook opting to re
turn home to Sydney to see his family for Christmas, it became a battle between Rattray and Hillier who went
into the meeting on 71 wins apiece.
Rattray joined the leaders when he partnered Tarleton
Riley to victory in the Jeremy Rockliff Pace and then teamed up with Mach Charm to take the lead and for good measure, he landed another winner in Karalta Dazzler to end the season on 74 wins.
The season went from September 1 2019 to December 31, 2020, owing to Harness Racing Australia changing the seasons to run a calendar year starting from 2021.
IDEN FOREST spent almost a year away from racing but the big, free- striding gelding looks set to make winning a habit this time in following an impressive win at Elwick last night in the Ladbrokes Pace over 1609m.
The Chris Howlett- trained six- year- old went amiss in January last year, with five wins to his credit from 43 tries.
Last night he raced outside of the leader a lap from home and when driver Matthew Howlett called for an effort turning for home, the gelded son of Major in Art surged away from his rivals to score an effortless win.