Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Brilliant, lightly-raced five-year-old Catch A Wave dispelled a widely-held myth that he was suspect over long distances when he gave a dazzling display of sheer speed on his way to winning the $300,000 Retravision Fremantle Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Not only did Catch A Wave charge home from the rear to beat the bold pacemaker Jumpingjackmac, but he broke the track record for the marathon 2936m, eclipsing the 1.55.8 rate set by the mighty stayer Smolda when he stormed to victory over Hectorjajay in the Interdominion Championship final in December 2016.
Catch A Wave, prepared in superb condition by ace Victorian trainer Andy Gath and driven in dashing style by his wife Kate, rated 1.55.7, with his victory boosting his record to 38 starts for 22 wins, seven placings and earnings of $1,971,848.
Before he won the 2536m Nullarbor slot race the previous week Catch A Wave had not been successful over a distance beyond 2240m.
“That was most satisfying,” said Andy Gath after Catch A Wave’s Fremantle Cup victory. Catch A Wave gets bagged a lot because they (his detractors) say he can’t stay. And tonight, he also showed how much brilliance he’s got.
“I was not worried when he was so far back. He was travelling when Kate pulled him out. The tempo had been solid and I reckoned he would be right in the race. He hadn’t done any work, and I knew he would finish off pretty well. Kate had to make a decision to go because Tenzing Bromac was getting in the way a little bit.”
Gath said that Catch A Wave would now return to Victoria and have a couple of weeks off before resuming training. “His main mission will be the Len Smith Mile at Menangle in the first week of September after going around in a couple of races at Melton in the lead-up,” he said.
After Friday night’s Fremantle Cup, the stewards fined Kate Gath $400 for careless driving and causing contact with the off-side sulky of Tenzing Bromac and puncturing the tyre in the back straight in the final lap.
The stewards also concluded an inquiry into a racing incident on the home turn in the Nullarbor slot race the previous Friday night. Gath pleaded guilty to a charge of contributing to interference when Catch A Wave moved inwards when not properly clear of Never Ending.
Catch A Wave’s foreleg contacted Never Ending’s sulky, causing that pacer to race roughly, which resulted in Jumpingjackmac being checked and two other horses being inconvenienced. Gath received a 12-day suspension.
Course patrons were shocked when Lavra Joe, the favourite for the Fremantle Cup, was scratched 18 minutes before the start of the race.
This resulted in Minstrel being sent out as the $3.30 favourite, ahead of Catch A Wave and Hot And Treacherous, both quoted at $4.60, and Pinny Tiger at $8.50.
Chris Voak fired out Pinny Tiger from barrier four straight to the lead before he wisely surrendered the front to $13 chance Jumpingjackmac after 250 metres.
Kate Gath restrained Catch A Wave (from barrier six) to the rear, and the gelding settled down in tenth position.
Stuart McDonald aimed to make life difficult for the opposition by setting a fast pace, with the opening quarters of the final mile being run in 28.8sec. and 29sec. before the last 400m sections were run in 28.6sec. and 29.1sec.
Jumpingjackmac was joined in the lead by Minstrel after a lap, with Pinny Tiger enjoying a perfect passage behind the pacemaker, and Swingband ($15) racing in the one-out, one-back position.
Gath eased Catch A Wave three wide from the rear with about 900m to travel, and this flushed out Tenzing Bromac and provided Catch A Wave with a favourable three-wide trail. Catch A Wave then revealed a sizzling burst of speed, out four wide, 500m from home and the gelding burst to the front 280m later before going on to win by a neck from the gallant Jumpingjackmac.
Pinny Tiger finished fast to be a close third, just a nose ahead of $41 chance Mighty Ronaldo, who was last on the pegs 300m from home and seventh at the 100m before getting into the clear and flashing home out wide. Minstrel wilted late after his tough run in the breeze and finished ninth.
“Jumpingjackmac went super; his run was enormous,” said an admiring McDonald. “He is now such a good horse, and you can drive him with confidence. He has won $850,000 and has finished second six times in Group 1 events, without winning one.
“After the scratching of Lavra Joe the plan was to lead. I copped a bit of mid-race pressure I didn’t expect, and I thought that at the 600m Jumpingjackmac wouldn’t run anywhere. But he kept fighting.”
Deni Roberts said that the fast pace proved the undoing of Minstrel, explaining: “The lead time was fast, and Stuey drove a very good race, and there was no way Minstrel could have beaten Jumpingjackmac, running those sort of times.”
Kate Gath said that she pulled out with Catch A Wave when she did because she had no choice. “I was hoping to get around Tenzing Bromac before the others came,” she said. “He was just bolting during the race.”
Catch A Wave returns to Victoria after having amassed $673,718 from his two wins and one fourth placing from his three starts in WA.