29 June 2020 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
Trainer Kent Rattray, driver John Walters and owner-breeders Nathan and Sandra Bennett, and broodmare Soho Summer had a night out in Launceston on Sunday when they teamed up for a double on the nine-race card.
It was one of the coldest race nights held in the state for some time with the mercury ranging between -1 °C and 2 °C during the entire race meeting.
Stormy Sanz was their first winner of the night when the gelded son of Betterthancheddar broke his maiden status in the Bevan Lee’s Butchery Two Year Old over 1680 metres.
Reinsman John Walters settled the pacer one-out and one-back before flying home over the final 100 metres to score over Lancelot by 1.5 metres with Written In Silk some 12.8 metres away third.
At his most recent start, Stormy Sanz looked like he was going to be in the finish on 21 June before being checked on the home corner.
“John (Walters) told me last week that he would have run second in that race,” said trainer Kent Rattray after the win, but there were also some gear changes made after that effort.
“We whipped his front shoes off and put the spreaders on, I had tried to steer clear of them, but I ended up having to go with them, explained Rattray who also believes there is more improvement to come with the gelding who recorded a 1m 59.8s mile rate with last night’s victory.
“I think he will improve in leaps and bounds when he gains more confidence.”
Rattray will try to pick up another win with the gelding before aiming at some of the features later in the year.
“We will try and pick another two-year-old up and then aim him at the classics,” he said.
Due to COVID-19 restriction placed on various states in recent months, Harness Racing Australia recently announced that the current racing season had been extended until 31 December.
As a result, this will likely see Stormy Sanz contest the Dandy Patch in Hobart which will now be held in the October/November period.
“He is in a lucky season where we have some time before the Sires Stakes, and if it were to be held now we wouldn’t be ready,” said the winning trainer who did acknowledge the quality of two-year-old’s in the state this season.
Rattray and Walters teamed up later in the night to score with three-year-old gelding Colby Sanz who led all the way to win race six.
Walters was keen to find the lead on the Tasmanian Guineas winner which resulted in the race favourite Giftofjoy being positioned on his back from the pole draw.
The favourite did get out late and ran Colby Sanz down to a half neck margin in 2m 0.5s.
Colby Sanz did win last season’s Dandy Patch Final in Hobart and will be aimed at the Globe Derby stakes later in the season.
The last horse to achieve the Dandy Patch – Globe Derby double was Colsta in 2003 and 2004.
Both Stormy Sanz and Colby Sanz are out of the Western Ideal mare Soho Summer, who is also the dam of Sunny Sanz.
Soho Summer was purchased by Nathan and Sandra Bennett at an interstate auction with the view of strengthening their breeding lines.
Before last night’s race meeting Ryley Major went around in a rating 64 to 120 trial over 1680 metres where he won with ease.
The gelded son of Art Major came from last of the four-horse field to win in a mile rate of 1m 57.5s with the pacer privately clocked running his last half mile in 55.4s.
Trainer-driver Rohan Hillier indicated after the trial that this seasons Tasmania Cup winner would take a lot of benefit out of the hit out.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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