INTERDOMINION
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His father had dreamt about it for "two lifetimes", his mother cried tears of joy and James Rattray only needed a few words to sum up Tasmania's Inter Dominion win - "on top of the world".
Rattray, 28, etched Miracle Mile winner Beautide's name into the record books with an effortless grand final victory at Menangle yesterday.
No horse has held both the Miracle Mile-Inter Dominion crowns since Smooth Satin achieved the feat in 2001-02.
"To win a Miracle Mile and Inter Dominion - they're two totally different races - it's a huge credit to the horse," the unassuming Rattray said. "We feel like we're on top of the world."
Rattray has established a satellite stable for his father, Barrie, in NSW in the past year, but still regards himself and Beautide as very much Tasmanian.
The six-year-old has thrived since moving north, chalking up his 10th win in 12 starts at headquarters with victory in the $750,000 grand final.
"I looked at the top of the straight and I was with my dad ... and I've dreamt about this for two lifetimes," said Barrie, whose family bred and owns Beautide. "I said, 'He's jogging'. I couldn't believe it.
"These are things you don't ever expect to happen in your life, but you always hope. To come back and be here [again after the Miracle Mile] is sensational.
"To carry the favourite tag for three or four months going into the Inter Dominion is a big ask and James has done that. He's carried it off and it's just been great."
Though James managed to keep his composure throughout the post-race presentations, the same couldn't be said for his mother, Denise.
Rattray made a mid-race move to sit outside Smolda ($5.50) with a lap to go in the 3009-metre slugfest, but he was the only one still throwing punches when Beautide ($4.90f) turned up the heat at the 500-metre mark.
He ambled to the lead and eventually won by six metres in a 1:55.5 mile rate from Todd McCarthy's fast-finishing Seel N Print ($21.60), which shocked Beautide in a NSW heat two weeks ago.
"He qualified and that was what we were aiming for," Rattray said. "I was a bit disappointed we got beat [as a long odds-on favourite in the heat], but not on the run.
"He was happy sitting outside the leader [yesterday] and around the home turn, I asked him for a bit and he always kept responding."
It was a completely different story for former Olympic gold medallist Michael Brennan, who was left devastated after an incident inside the last 150 metres caused serious injury to his top Western Australian hope, Im Victorious ($6.30).
Lauren Panella behind Mach Beauty ($28.80) was charged with shifting out at that point, taking out the legs of Im Victorious and forcing him to gallop. Im Victorious was immediately taken to Camden Vet Hospital.
Panella was already driving on a stay of proceedings for a similar offence and was rubbed out for eight weeks.
"I just pulled the wrong rein at the wrong time," Panella told stewards after pleading guilty.
The McCarthy family, which is still chasing an elusive Inter Dominion win, filled the minor placings after Luke drove For A Reason ($10.20) to third.
"He did an incredible job to run into the placings but the winner is just a super horse," Luke said.
"When I got out, we were racing for second because [Beautide] was gone."
Todd said: "I came here thinking he would run a great run because he is in the best form of his life, but to finish second in an Inter Dominion is amazing.