CATCH A WAVE - Kate Gath Photo by Club Menangle
VICTORIAN star Catch A Wave completed a historic double and revived memories of the great Im Themightyquinn with a stunning last-to-first win in Friday night's $300,000 Group 1 Fremantle Cup at Gloucester Park.
It came just a week after he won Australia's second richest race, the $1.25mil Group 1 Nullarbor at the same track.
As good as Catch A Wave was in the Nullarbor, Friday night's win was almost unbelievable.
The former Miracle Mile winner was shuffled back to last in the steadily run 2936m feature but made a long, looping run around the tiny Gloucester Park track in the last lap to win.
The last horse to be able to sustain that sort of run at the top level around the tight Gloucester Park was three-time Inter Dominion winner Im Themightyquinn more than a decade ago.
"He just felt awesome tonight, absolutely awesome," driver Kate Gath said.
"Even though we were back last, they ran along strongly enough, and when I got the three-wide trail into it, he was travelling so well. Even when I had to come four-wide so far from home, he exploded."
Renowned Gloucester Park form analyst Trent Cooper added more context to the enormity of the win.
"The number of pacers who have won open Group 1 races taking off four-wide at the 600m at Gloucester Park could be counted on one hand," he said.
"The speed he showed when Kate said go was Quinny-like."
Catch A Wave scored by a neck and broke Smolda's track record with a 1min55.7sec mile rate for the marathon 2936m trip.
It was his 22nd win from just 38 starts and his seventh at Group 1 level.
"What a ride we've been on with this horse, and I'm pretty sure Richard (Matthews, Catch A Wave's late owner) is watching from above.
It would be better if he were here, but every win is a tribute to him," Gath said.
"We came here thinking he'd be competitive, but knowing we'd need luck."
"To go home having won both (Group 1) races is just unbelievable."
All that after Catch A Wave's Perth raid was only confirmed a few weeks before the Nullarbor.
"He's only here because he had that setback before the Miracle Mile and missed it. Perth wasn't on the radar until then," trainer Andy Gath said.
"It's been an unbelievable trip. Wouldn't be able to achieve this if it wasn't for Greg and Skye (Bond) and their wonderful facilities. They've been so great to us during our time here."
Gath confirmed Catch A Wave would go for a break now with his next major target being the Group 1 Len Smith Mile at Menangle on September 7. Then comes the Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton a month later.
