Triple Eight catches favourite off guard

Veteran pacer Triple Eight (American Ideal) caused an upset when he downed the odds on harness racing favorite Catch A Wave in the $24,000 Captain Sandy Free For All at Melton. 

Having his first start since pulling up sore in the Geelong Rocket a month ago, Catch A Wave was sent out a $1.85 favorite and Kate Gath pressed forward to find the lead inside the first 400 metres. 

Greg Sugars on Triple Eight was the first to pull out of Indian File formation to lead up the outside horses with a lap to travel. 

The race turned into a dash home with Triple Eight ($5) grabbing Catch A Wave on the line to get up and score by a metre from Catch A Wave in a mile rate of 1:55.3. 

A noted sit sprinter, Triple Eight is capable of doing some work in the run according to Sugars. 

“He has done it in the past in the right sort of races and tonight he was awesome,” Sugars said. 

“He’s a wonderful old horse, it’s a special win tonight as Scott Plant who bred him has come across from New Zealand to see him race,” he said. 

Sugars said Triple Eight’s days campaigning at the highest level are finished. 

“He’s an old warhorse now so we’ve scaled back plans to race him at the top level,  we’ll just pick and choose free for all races like these,” he said. 

Sugars is undecided whether the nine-year-old will make the trek north to the upcoming Mildura Cup carnival. 

Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars combine with nine-year-old star Triple Eight, who wears down Catch A Wave in the concluding stages to claim his 23rd career victory in the TAB Captain Sandy Free For All. pic.twitter.com/TxFpOEB7T3

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) March 23, 2024

Meanwhile, Andy Gath conceded Catch A Wave had every opportunity to win. 

“He worked pretty hard early but he got it pretty cheap after that,” Gath said. 

“His fitness is not where I expected it to be but with the run he had he was entitled to win,” he said. 

The win took Triple Eight’s stake earnings past $775,000 from his 23 career wins and 44 placings.

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink