Callmethebreeze will not defend his Great Southern Star title

Boom French harness racing import Callmethebreeze (Trixton) won’t defend his Great Southern Star crown.

Trainer Andy Gath confirmed the horse wouldn’t be ready for Australia’s biggest trotting race at Melton on February 1.

“It was always going to be a tight call if Callmethebreeze was ready. He won’t be,” he said.

“We’ve had those problems with his feet and that’s something you just can’t rush.”

So, it now seems the two star combatants from last year’s epic Great Southern Star final – Callmethebreeze and Just Believe – will be missing.

Just Believe’s immediate racing future remains unclear after an injury prematurely ended his NZ campaign last month.

In better news, Gath said stable star Catch A Wave was right on target for the Hunter Cup.

The six-year-old, who boasts 23 wins and almost $2.1 million in earnings, has been freshened since a two-race NZ raid in November. His last start was a third to Merlin in the Group 1 NZ FFA on November 15.

“He’ll trial Tuesday (at Melton) and then we’ll go first-up to the Ballarat Cup (January 18),” Gath said.

“He thrives with back-to-back racing, so we’ll go from Ballarat to the Casey Classic a week later and then it’ll be his third run in as many weeks when he goes to the Hunter Cup.”

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Australia