We'll play it by ear but he might have a break then go (interstate)
- Trainer Todd Rattray
Class four-year-old Izaha justified his short odds with a comfortable all-the-way win in the $50,000 Raider Stakes final in Devonport on Sunday night.
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Sent out $1.06 favourite, Izaha scored by 5m from Peaceful Thomas who produced an enormous run after breaking early and dropping out to last.
They finished 18m in front of third placegetter Yatsenyuk Leis.
Trainer-driver Todd Rattray said that Izaha may have to head interstate when the new national rating system comes into play next month as he will basically be a free-for-all class horse.
"We'll play it by ear but he might have a break then go," Rattray said.
"It will also depend on how he pulls up."
Rattray said Izaha was inclined to switch on and off in the run.
"But he still ran a bit of time (rating 2:01.3 for 2665m) so he did a good job to win."
Izaha has now won 13 of his 22 starts and $124,513.
He is raced by the Rattray Family Trust and long-time stable client Wayne McLaughlin of Branxholm.
"You couldn't get a better owner than Wayne - he'll be happy and so will the family," Rattray said.
PATIENCE PAYS
A patient drive by Ricky Duggan landed the $50,000 Granny Smith Stakes on Ideal Bliss.
The race was put on for the Paul Hill-trained mare after early leader Bremusa was pressured and eventually headed by Brystabella.
Similar tactics worked for Brystabella in the 2297m prelude nine days earlier but over the longer distance of the final (2665m) she was unable to sustain her effort.
Bremusa got past her coming off the back straight but she was unable to hold off the late challenges of Ideal Bliss and Sheza Bettormak who ran to the front on the home turn and went on to fill the quinella.
Ideal Bliss scored by 2m with Sheza Bettormak finishing 10m clear of Bremusa in third place.
Ideal Bliss, raced by Charlie and Connie Beadman, has now won 11 of her 21 starts.
She has earned $117,326 in stakes.
YOLE LONGSHOTS
Trainer Ben Yole produced his second longshot winner of the night when Jeans Mattjesty, driven by Troy McDonald, stormed home to win the $12,000 Ulverstone Cup.
The $20 chance just got home ahead of $3.70 favourite The Aussie and they cleared right out on the others.
Yole had won earlier with $17 chance Monarkmac who came with a late charge for claiming novice driver Olivia Weidenbach in the S & M Horse Transport Pace.
The same trainer-driver combination then struck again with Im Full Tilt ($12) in the Jos Ray Memorial.
