“If this is not the best then I don’t know what is...whatever it is, it’s going to be hard to top.”
Those were the words of Barrie Rattray after he witnessed his son James drive their horse Beautide to victory in the TAB.COM.AU Inter Dominion Grand Final at Tabcorp Park Menangle today.
Beautide defied all odds to take out the Grand circuit gem after doing plenty of work outside the leader in world record time of 1:55.5.
He is the first horse in more than 15 years to win the Miracle Mile and the Inter Dominion in the same season. The last horse to do so was Our Sir Vancelot, who won the three Inter Dominions from 1997 to 1999 and won the Miracle Mile in 1997.
After settling mid-field early, James Rattray elected to angle Beautide three wide to the ‘death seat’ at the mile mark as Kiwi star Smolda worked to the lead.
With the quarters of the last mile clocked in 26.5, 30.0, 28.6 and 27.1, Beautide cruised to the line with more than five metres to spare over Seel N Print with For A Reason a close third.
“We were lucky to be here in November [for the Miracle Mile] and I didn’t think it would happen again,” Barrie said.
(HRNSW)