Kerryn Gath odds-on for 300
04 July 2003
South Australia?s Globe Derby Park appears certain to be the venue for a piece of harness racing history tomorrow night as championship reinswoman Kerryn Gath reaches the outstanding milestone of 300 winners in a season.
Gath, who will celebrate her 27th birthday next Thursday, is still sitting on 299 winners for the season after Thursday night?s Moonee Valley meeting and no drive on Friday.
The popular reinswoman has four drives at Globe Derby Park and it would be a brave tipster who didn?t expect her to land at least one winner.
Gath partners No Soup For You ($1.70 fav.) in the opening event the Cleanaway Pace (1800m), Paddy McGuire ($7.00) in the Arcadia Goldwood Stud Southern Cross Final for Two-Year-Old Colts & Geldings (1800m.), Austin Powers ($3.00) in the SAHRC Lift July Sweepstakes Prelude 1 (2230m) and Yada Yada Yada ($1.10) in the Arcadia Goldwood Stud Southern Cross Final for Two-Year-Old Fillies (1800m) at Globe Derby Park.
While cases might be argued for her first three drives to be beaten, Yada Yada Yada does look to have a mortgage on her event.
?I though that about Kathryn Dancer last Friday night at Harold Park and she wound up fourth,? Gath said today.
?It would have been nice to drive my 300th winner at Moonee Valley but it wasn?t to be. I?m not really worrying about getting to 300. If it?s meant to be it will happen. I just enjoy driving and it is always nice to win.?
Gath said with the number of horses she drove each season it was hard to become attached to any particular one as a favourite.
?My favourites go back to my early days with horses like Knight Pistol who were responsible for giving me the opportunities I enjoy today. He took me around the world and obviously had a great influence on shaping my career.?
?I have some nice drives at Globe Derby Park. No Soup For You looked like being really smart as a two-year-old but broke a leg. She has done a remarkable job to be back racing and while she is not going as well as she was does look to be getting back to her best.
?Yada Yada Yada is very smart. She did have a tendency to hang in under pressure which might have cost her a win but she is going really well now.?
Gath?s achievements have to be admired. This is the fourth consecutive season she has driven more than 200 winners in a season and in the 2000/2001 season set an Australian record of 288 winners which she smashed recently.
Kerryn was the first female driver to win the Australian Drivers? premiership and has been the country?s leading driver for the past two seasons as well as leading Australian reinswoman for the past four.
She was the first female and second reinsperson in history (after Chris Alford) to drive more than 200 winners in a season.
At Globe Derby Park on Saturday night, she should become the first Australian reinsperson to reach 300 winners in a season.