Gath believes Catch A Wave is fitter

Kate Gath admits she is not rueing the absence of Captain Ravishing (Captaintreacherous) in the Vicbred Super Series for harness racing three-year-old colts and geldings.

Gath takes the reins behind the series’ nominal favorite Catch A Wave (Captaintreacherous), who many believe is the youngster most likely to stretch the Emma Stewart-trained budding superstar.

“I’m happy to race through the series without him,” Gath said.

Gath though concedes a future clash between the pair will have harness racing fans suitably salivating.

“It would be good for the sport if they were to meet, but I’m not disappointed we don’t have to clash with him this time,” she said.

Catch A Wave made a stunning return to the racetrack in his heat at Kilmore when he rounded up his harness racing rivals in a 26.5 back straight quarter.

“I knew we were running up the back, not because my horse felt it but Mattie (Craven) turned the whip around on the leader – the 26.5 up the back was not effort to him,” she said.

Gath said getting adequate track work into the son of Captaintreacherous represented a challenge.

“We really don’t have anything for him to work with at home, he picks everything too quickly when I peel him out,” she said.

“We have started to use a galloping pacemaker with him and I think that will help.”

In an ominous warning for his rivals, Gath believes Catch A Wave will strip fitter in Friday night’s Vicbred Super Series semi-final when he starts from an outside second row draw.

“He will benefit from the run in the heat and hopefully again from the semi-final,” she said.

Gath said she has noticed a discernable change in Catch A Wave’s racetrack demeanor.

“This time in he’s been more relaxed in his trial and first-up run, and I’m hoping he’s putting it altogether and learning that he doesn’t have to go flat out when I pull him out,” she said.

“At Kilmore he strode up nice and slowly when I pulled out three wide, where as in the past he would go the one speed which was flat out.”

The top six horses in each of Friday night’s semi-finals at Melton – across all two, three and four-year-old pacing divisions – qualify directly for Group 1 finals at the same track on December 31.

Catch A Wave will step out in race five at 6.59pm.

For complete race entries, click here.

by John Dunne, for HRV