TAB Eureka Countdown

14 May 2024 | Adam Hamilton
Logo
Magician Wins The Beautide

Magician Wins The Beautide Photo by Eliza Howlett

TODD Rattray produced one of the surprise packets of last year's inaugural TAB Eureka and he's got his sights set on doing it again.

Rattray's gelding Magician snared the Tasracing slot in the TAB Eureka through his win in the qualifier, The Beautide, and then stunned most by running a fantastic fourth in the Eureka itself as a $71 outsider.

Magician banked $100,000 for the run and beat home the likes of Catch A Wave, Speak The Truth and The Lost Storm.

The TAB Eureka is restricted to Australian-bred three and four-year-old pacers, meaning Magician is too old for another crack.

But Rattray has exciting four-year-old Nyack for the world's richest harness race at Menangle on September 7.

Nyack ran fifth to Magician in last year's Beautide as just a three-year-old but has been fantastic in nine runs since, netting five wins and four seconds.

The latest of those seconds was a fantastic effort when beaten by a whisker by Magician in the $20,000 Ladbrokes Launceston Mile.

Magician dug deep to win at just his second run back in the Apple Isle, but there was so much to like about Nyack's brave second with Gareth Rattray aboard.

"It was a great result to get the quinella; they both went really well," Todd Rattray said. 

"Magician did work early to get outside the leader, and Nyack did plenty of work coming three-wide a lap out, which isn't really his go, but he kept coming."

This year's $80,000 The Beautide is slated for August 3.

Nyack, a son of Sweet Lou, has raced just 22 times for 11 wins, five seconds, two thirds and banked $141,929.

"I think he's at least as good as Magician at the same stage," Rattray said.

"He's certainly an easier horse to handle, and he's got a bit more speed."

"He was actually knocked down in the Beautide last year and ran well considering, but he's certainly a better horse now, and hopefully, he keeps improving with racing as he did last campaign."

"I think he'll really enjoy racing at Menangle and following the strong speed."

"He's got the Raider Stakes before the Beautide. Otherwise, we'll just race him lightly. There's another $20,000 in two weeks for both him and Magician.""

Rattray is a huge fan of the TAB Eureka concept and Tasracing's commitment to supporting locals.

"It gives us a very rare chance to compete on the mainland. Sure, it's hard to be competitive with the very best, but now we've got a chance and hope we get one good enough one day," he said.

Rattray said Magician could also accompany Nyack back to Menangle.

"If we're going, we might as well take a few with us," he said. 

"Magician's two runs back home have been good, and he'd be worth a trip back for the Len Smith Mile."

"He's certainly got the ability, but he's a real handful and difficult to do anything with."

 

Related News

4 April 2025
Club Menangle Set To Light Up In Pink Throughout May, thanks to Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers
Club Menangle is turning pink throughout the month of May for Pacing For Pink in support of the McGrath Foundation. This will be the fourth successive year Club Menangle has participated in the national campaign, which aims to raise funds and awareness for the McGrath Cancer Care Nurses. In Australia,...
4 April 2025
Williams stable looking to end a run of minor placings
Bagdad-based trainer Paul Williams will take three runners to Hobart on Friday night, hoping his recent run of minor placings can be improved with a winner. Williams has prepared one winner this season, with nine minor placings from 32 starts. “The team is going well, so I can’t complain,”...
3 April 2025
Burning Questions: Luke debuts alongside Dunny, Daz and TOC
Caller Luke Humphreys, trainer-driver Aaron Dunn, and form analysts Darren Carroll and Tim O'Connor sat down to chat through key races at Mildura, Cambridge and Melton on this week's edition of Burning Questions.
3 April 2025
TOC'S TAKEAWAYS: 90-year-old Ted the hero of the week
Tim O'Connor picks his favourite bits from the harness racing week that was and the one ahead... CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL COLUMN AT THETROTS.COM.AU
3 April 2025
Its Confidential ready to rock in Nutrien Classic
Russell Jack is looking ahead to the Nutrien Equine Classic Race Series 4 following his bitter-sweet sojourn to last week’s Bathurst carnival.
Click for more