Brian Gath celebrates after Betty Hall breaks her maiden with a Vicbred Group 1 win.
At 71 years young trainer-driver Brian Gath wrote another page in his book of legend, winning the Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series final for two-year-old fillies.
A maiden before tonight, Betty Hall is now a Group 1 winner for owners Norm and Joan Visca having produced a shock win in the night’s last Vicbred trotting final, scoring at a staggering $119 on the tote.
“I have trained a few Group 1 winners, but there is nothing like training one for good people,” Gath said, who drover Betty Hall a treat, placing her on the back of favourite Illawong Shimmer.
When leader Watts Up Rainbow galloped and sent the field scattering, Gath steered Betty Hall wide and then rejoined on Illawong Shimmer’s shoulder.
Betty Hall was then the best horse in the straight, winning by a head from Kyvalley Kyrie with Illawong Shimmer a half-neck further back in third.
For Gath, who turns 72 on Tuesday, the victory by the Angus Hall filly out of Nirvana Castle was reward for persistence.
“To train one for a Group 1 race, it takes a lot of lot of work and this filly’s had a lot of work from my son (Mathew), Anthony Crossland spent hours on it for me, and myself of course,” Gath said.
The win in a 2:05.7 mile rate has only further fuelled Gath’s love for the sport.
“I don’t really want to stop,” Gath said. “I get more pleasure out of training, I’m really happy on the farm working my horses and that. If I’ve got one good enough I will take off to the races, but I enjoy doing it.
“For the last 25 years I have been off racing every day nearly and every week and Matty has been at home training, he’s the backbone of our stable.”
Media enquiries:
Michael Howard (HRV Media/Communications Co-Ordinator)
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