Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Multi-millionaire pacing star Catch A Wave is on song to make a bold bid to win the Nullarbor slot race for the second year in a row when he lines up in the $1.25 million feature event at Gloucester Park next Friday night.
The six-year-old romped to an effortless all-the-way victory in the $31,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound @ Albion Park Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, a striking performance which delighted his trainer Andy Gath.
Catch A Wave was the $2.10 second fancy behind the $1.85 favourite and local superstar Mister Smartee, who raced without cover and finished second, just over three lengths behind the Victorian invader.
“It’s a perfect lead-in for next Friday,” said Gath. “Whenever you travel you never know what to expect. But he has pulled up very well, and you wouldn’t know he’s had a run.
“He will probably have a hoppled run on Tuesday when we are trying to mirror what we did last year. And he is better than he was last year when he won the Nullarbor.
“This was the first time he has run the gate (in recent times), and he was good and relaxed the whole way. He is also a terrific sit-sprinter, and that’s probably his best chance of winning the Nullarbor even though, early on, he won most of his races when leading.
“He got a soft lead (37.6sec.) and we would’ve been disappointed if he didn’t win. He has a bit of class about him. At his previous start, when he won at Geelong, he wasn’t entitled to win. He had to run a half in about 53.5sec., and I don’t think there is any horse in Australia who could have won.
“Barrier draws don’t worry us too much; it’s where the other horses draw (in the Nullarbor) that worries us.”
Kate Gath got Catch A Wave away speedily from the No. 5 barrier on Friday night, and after the modest lead time and casual opening quarter of 30.9sec. the gelding dashed over the final 400m sections in 29.5sec., 27.7sec. and 26.9sec. to win by ten metres from Mister Smartee, rating 1.55.3.
Mister Smartee began out wide at barrier eight and settled down in seventh position before Gary Hall Jnr sent him forward, three wide, after 220m to move to the breeze where he settled and did not apply any pressure on the pacemaker. He ran home strongly to finish second, a half-length ahead of the polemarker and $23 chance Hoppys Way, who trailed Catch A Wave throughout.
“It was a perfect run,” declared Kate Gath. Catch A Wave now boasts a 50 per cent winning record, with 26 victories and eleven placings from 52 starts for earnings of $2,158,278.