Harness racing trainer Kent Rattray celebrated his second Group 3 win in the space of 13 months when his talented four-year-old Timely Sovereign led throughout to win the $40,000 Raider Stakes final in Devonport last Friday night.
Rattray prepared Riverboat Jasper to win the 2016 Group 3 Easter Cup and while that was a major achievement in his training career this latest win was more special from a family perspective.
Rattray acquired Timely Sovereign from the gelding's former owner-trainer Ian Swain when he opted to leave the industry.
"Ian (Swain) was at the trials and he was selling all of his gear so I asked him what about that two-year-old (Timely Sovereign) that you ran around last year and he never won a race," Rattray said.
"He wanted $7,000 but said he'd take $5,000 and we had him bought by the end of the day.
"We haven't looked back since and my wife Jodie owns him."
Timely Sovereign ($12.30) made full use of the pole position and once in front the gelding was rated superbly by experienced reinsman John Walters.
The gelded son of Lombo Pocket Watch showed great courage to fend off a serious challenge from odds-on favourite All Style Sammy ($1.30) to go on and defeat that horse by two metres with God Sake 10 metres astern.
It was a masterful drive from John Walters who had to reassess his driving tactics when Hillview Jake, that was expected to lead, was the cause of two false starts that led to his withdrawal from the race.
"When Hillview Jake came out John had to reevaluate his tactics and I was very happy that I had the best driver on my horse and he changed his tactics accordingly and we've won the race," Rattray said.
"He (Walters) has to make decisions out there and he can't be ruled by what we tell him so he's done a great job."
Walters said he had planned to hold the lead for a while with Hillview Jake in the race.
"Once Hillview Jake came out I decided to try and keep the lead and the way the race panned out he just had to be strong to win it and he was (strong)," Walters said.
"All Style Sammy put it to my horse but he refused to wilt but he does have a great record on this track and that also was in his favour."
Peter Staples