News & Media

01 May 2008 One Brother or the Other Perth Bound for $25,000 Feature

Planning for the $25,000 RWWA Rising Stars Invitation Stakes re-scheduled for Friday May 9th at Gloucester Park was thrown into confusion with the suspension of star Tasmanian junior driver Gareth Rattray at last Sunday’s Devonport meeting.

Rattray was leading this season’s Tasmanian Driver's Premiership at the time of his suspension and was on target to top the 100 wins in a season mark.

Rattray has appealed against the 6 meeting suspension, handed down per medium of two three-week careless driving penalties to be served cumulatively, and his appeal will be heard next Tuesday afternoon.

In the event of his appeal being unsuccessful it seems appropriate that his place on the trip to Perth will be taken by his twin brother James.

James Rattray is a dual winner of the Tasmanian Youngbloods Series (the Tasmanian equivalent of Western Australia’s Rising Stars) and James won the 2005Australasian Young Drivers Championship when it was held in the North Island of New Zealand.

As a result of his success in that Championship James was employed by champion New Zealand trainer/driver Tony Herlihy and Rattray drove some 30 winners in New Zealand. He was New Zealand's leading Strike Rate Junior Driver in 2005/2006.

In addition to his New Zealand record James has driven some 63 winners in Tasmania since his first win as a 16yo in December 2002 with Barringtonboutique at Hobart.

James currently works full-time for Riverside (Launceston) trainer Chester Bullock.

The field for the $25,000 RWWA Rising Stars Invitation Stakes will be drawn next Tuesday and a ballot for drives undertaken at about the time Gareth Rattray will present his appeal.

Alan Parker
Assistant Manager Harness Racing