Rattray in his first Easter Cup with new arrival

Six weeks ago Scottsdale harness racing trainer Kent Rattray didn't have a horse in his stable capable of being competitive in an Easter Cup but as chance would have it fellow trainer Wayne Campbell called him with an offer to lease Riverboat Jasper.

Inside an hour of that phone call Rattray was on Campbell's doorstep and after a gentleman's handshake to close the deal the six-year-old gelding was loaded onto Rattray's float.

At the UBET Racing Centre in Launceston last night Riverboat Jasper gave Rattray his first taste of success in an Easter Cup when he powered home to win the $40,000 Group 2 event over 2698 metres from Resurgent Spirit and Queens Advocate.

Amid emotional post-race celebrations Rattray explained what the win meant to him.

"I made a decision two years ago to do this full-time but it's been very lean and to win this race that is like winning an Inter Dominion to me," Rattray said.

"The horse's owner Wayne Campbell called me just over six weeks ago and asked me if I wanted to lease the horse and I was around his place within an hour to pick him up.

"People just don't know what this win means to me."

It also was a first for driver John Walters who shed a tear or two when asked what winning the race meant to him.

"My Dad (Harry) won this race in 1976 with Andy Cast so for me to win an Easter Cup as well means a hell of a lot," Walters said.

"It's a race all of us drivers want to win because there's so much history associated with it."

Walters had Riverboat Jasper (Riverboat King-Cranleigh) settled better than midfield but on the rails from his front-row draw while The Majority (Gareth Rattray led with the well-backed favourite Jaruzelski Leis ($3.20) on his outside facing the breeze.

Jaruzelski Leis forged to the lead turning for home and by that time Walters had Riverboat Jasper off the fence and three-wide challenging.

Resurgent Spirit ($3.60) forged to the front turning for home but Riverboat Jasper powered home to defeat Resurgent Spirit with Queens Advocate ($7.50) flashing home late to grab third.

Peter Staples