Catch A Wave Photo by Club Menangle
LIFE has changed for Catch A Wave and it's "tough love time" for the reigning Miracle Mile champion.
The gifted pacer stormed to stardom almost 12 months ago when he completed the huge Chariots Of Fire/Miracle Mile at Menangle.
It looked like an entrée of great things to come, but the now five-year-old has managed just two wins from 10 starts since and even his trainer, Andy Gath, sees why some say Catch A Wave is at a crossroads.
The entire basically imploded when he overraced badly and dropped out to finish last as second favourite in the Group 1 Hunter Cup at his most recent run at Melton on February 3.
Sure, Catch A Wave's brilliance may not be suited to longer distances like the 2760m of the Hunter Cup, but that doesn't wash with Gath.
He wants and expects more, starting with getting his Miracle Mile title defence back on track in the Geelong Rocket on Friday night.
"We've changed his training and increased his workload … a lot," Gath said.
"He overraced in the Hunter Cup, possibly because he was above himself and felt too good. So, he used to work twice a week but fast-works thrice a week."
"I can see why people might say he's at the crossroads because of what he's been doing; we need to try and bridge the gap between him and a benchmark horse like Leap To Fame."
"Fitness is the biggest weapon and maybe we do just need to get him fitter and be harder on him at home. We have been pretty kind to him all his life and it's worked, but I just felt like we needed to change things up and try something different."
So, how has Catch A Wave responded to his busier workload?
"He seems good at home, but I'm not sure that's the best gauge because his talent is not in doubt and he's always worked to a high level," Gath said.
"I'm really keen to see how he goes at the races. We're not truly going to know if changing things up has worked in a good or bad way until he steps out at the races."
"I'm thrilled this race is going ahead at Geelong. I was worried they wouldn't get enough acceptors to run it, but they did and it's vital for me to see where Catch A Wave is at. I'm sure Emma (Stewart) feels the same way with Mach Dan in the race as well."
Catch A Wave will start from outside the front in the six-horse Geelong Rocket, where Mach Dan (gate five) looks like the only obvious and real danger.
Fittingly, around the time Catch A Wave runs at Geelong, Leap To Fame will take his next step towards the $1mil Miracle Mile at Menangle on March 9 when he contests Friday night's $100,000 Group 2 Newcastle Mile.
Leap To Fame can guarantee himself a Miracle Mile berth with victory at Newcastle, while Catch A Wave and Mach Dan will need to chase their spots through one of the two qualifying sprints at Menangle on Saturday week.
Should Catch A Wave qualify, the Miracle Mile would be his third race in as many weeks.
"That's no issue. In fact, history says it's how he likes it. He won the Chariots Of Fire last year at his third run in three weeks," Gath said.
· Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
