Kate Gath has spoken about her love for Captain Ravishing (Captaintreacherous) as she looks to take down the harness racing superstar pacer for a second time in Saturday night’s Miracle Mile.
The 39-year-old reinswoman claimed a memorable victory in the Chariots of Fire when Catch A Wave edged past the Emma Stewart-trained speed machine to win the four-year-old Group 1 on February 18, and will be looking to deny him yet again when they clash in the $1million sprint at Menangle.
Gath told Harness Racing NSW’s podcast The Sprint Lane that Captain Ravishing had done so much for the sport in his short career so far.
“We’ve needed a horse like that, and the amount of hype, conversation and discussion it’s created on social media… We put posts up, HRV or whoever it is, you guys (Harness Racing NSW), and you don’t get a lot of comments on them,” she said.
“Every Captain Ravishing post since it’s raced for Emma and Clayton (Tonkin) has basically brought 80 or 90 comments.
“It’s got galloping people back into the sport. It’s what we needed. To beat a horse of that hype that you just didn’t think you could beat on what you’d seen previously did make the moment enormous.
“It all came out (with a salute over the line) because it was something that was unexpected…”
Gath said being part of a Miracle Mile was a huge thrill.
“It was a race that I’ve never really had on my radar because it’s as hard as it gets to get into,” she said.
“We didn’t really expect to win the Chariots, so we didn’t have it on our radar at all.
“I’ve always considered Inter Dominions as the prize that you really want to win, but the Miracle Mile had just been forgotten in my head a little bit.
“To be in it this week is a pretty big opportunity and we really want to make the most of it.”
Catch A Wave is currently on the third line of betting for the Miracle Mile at $4.40, with Captain Ravishing $3.80 and his stablemate Honolua Bay $3 to win the great race.
LISTEN TO THE FULL ‘THE SPRINT LANE’ PODCAST BELOW:
For complete race entries, click here.
by Tim O’Connor for Harness Racing Victoria