Wave rolls into the next chapter

Outstanding young Victorian pacer Catch A Wave (Captaintreacherous) heads to the Melton trials tonight (Aug. 8) as he prepares to find himself in new territory over the next few months.

Andy and Kate Gath’s three-year-old, who boasts a near perfect record of nine wins from 10 starts, will become the challenger not the champ in races like the Victoria Derby and Breeders Crown.

That’s because as stunning as Catch A Wave’s emergence has been, it’s all been in his own backyard and largely against the same, smallish pool of horses.

A new world awaits against the best-performed three-year-old in Australia, Leap To Fame, and maybe even NZ’s young pin-up pacer Akuta as well.

While Catch A Wave looks up with the other pair on talent and potential, the facts are Leap To Fame and Akuta have both proven themselves on bigger stages so far and also look more complete racehorses.

Simply, the raw ingredients are there with Catch A Wave, but time will tell whether he takes that next big step.

The gelding has raced just three times in the past three times in the past months, but that’s been by design with a mammoth finish to 2022 in mind.

Those three runs were during a cameo campaign in April/May when Catch A Wave dominated the APG 3YO series.

By comparison, Leap To Fame has raced six times this season for four wins and two placings. Crucially, two of the wins have been either dominant or powerhouse wins in two of our biggest Derbys in NSW and Queensland. To do the work he did and win the Queensland Derby last outing was something to behold.

Over the ditch, Mark Purdon has taken Akuta to the races six times this year for four wins and a third.

The most recent of those wins was in the Group 1 Great Northern Derby and another of them has been at Group 2 level.

And the only unplaced run was a fourth in top open-class behind stablemate Self Assured when went back and was never in the equation.

Andy Gath concedes Catch A Wave needs to take the next step this campaign.

“I’ve sure we’ve got the ability of a horse like Leap To Fame, but he is a perfect racehorse and we haven’t got the ringcraft yet,” he said.

“We’ve been trying to teach him to relax at home. He took a significant step from two to three (year-old), but he’s still got a way to go. He’s heading in the right direction.

“That’s why we’re in no urgency with him. He’s got this trial and we will keep playing it by ear. There’s no rush or set time to get him back to the races because the Derby heats are still a long way off.”

Gath also agreed Catch A Wave’s standard of opposition would rise significantly in coming months.

“As good as he’s been, you have to consider he’s only raced in his own backyard and largely against Victorian horses,” he said.

“Then you look at Leap To Fame who is an experienced traveller, having been to NSW twice, and won major races in Sydney and Brisbane.

“We know we’ve got a big job ahead of us.”

Similarly, Gath concedes his trotting star Majestuoso (Majestic Son) will need to go to another level of his stellar form of earlier this year to win a home state Inter Dominion later in the year.

“He’s proven himself the best in Australia for now when he’s right, but the challengers keep coming,” he said.

“We’ve got as good a wave of four-year-olds coming through as you’d ever see and Bolt For Brilliance coming from NZ, who can run some incredible times.

“As good as Majestuoso has been, if we can get him back to his best, he might still have to find another half-length or so to beat what he’ll face in the Inter Dominion.”

Majestuoso had some niggles and was given a month off. He’s about to start two weeks on a water-walker now and the Inter Dominion, which starts on November 26, is his next target.

by Adam Hamilton, for HRV