By most people’s standards, Todd Rattray had a pretty good weekend.
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The Longford trainer-driver picked up the Halwes Medal for Tasmania’s outstanding participant of 2016-17 and took home trophies for the horse of the year (Pachacuti) and two-year-old of the year (Ignatius).
He also won races at Mowbray with a couple of very promising horses in Taurisi and Stryker.
But racing is a business where it’s impossible to win all the time, unless you’re Black Caviar or Winx.
And the cards didn’t all fall Rattray’s way. The trainer missed out on the desired result in two races that could’ve had a big bearing on his immediate plans.
Pachacuti ran second-last in the Smoken Up Sprint at Melton and Devendra beat only two home in the Show Cup at Mowbray.
Plans for both horses are now up in the air.
“Pachacuti wasn’t too bad but the mile just didn’t suit him,” Rattray said.
“He didn’t run the gate much and they went very quick time (1:51.9).
“But he wasn’t too far away.”
Pachacuti finished 21.7m behind the winner Lennytheshark.
He’s not going anywhere at this stage
- Todd Rattray on Devendra
Rattray doubts that Pachacuti will have sufficient points to get into the field for this week’s $200,000 Victoria Cup.
“He probably won’t make it but there are other cups coming up over there,” the trainer said.
Pachacuti is entered for next month’s Perth Inter-Dominion but remains well down in the rankings and again Rattray is not expecting him to get a start.
“He’d have to do something special (to get in),” he said.
Devendra is also entered for the Inter-Dominion and his ranking assures him of a start in the heats but he still has to earn his trip.
“He’s not going anywhere at this stage,” Rattray said.
“He’d have to win a couple of races very soon, or at least go very good, to go to Perth.
“I was a little bit disappointed with him (on Sunday) even though he was off 40 metres and had to make up too much ground early.”
The first round of Inter-Dominion heats is on November 24 and the $1.1 million final on December 8.
Meanwhile, Todd Rattray and his brother Gareth share favouritism for the Australian Drivers Championship in Hobart on October 28.
They are both quoted at $8 in Sportsbet’s all-in market with the other 10 drivers all at $10.
