Catch A Wave Photo by Pacepix
VICTORIAN star Catch A Wave breathed some much-needed life into the 2024 Australian Grand Circuit with his mesmerising last-to-first $300,000 Group 1 Fremantle Cup win last Friday night.
The Grand Circuit was shaping as a Leap To Fame benefit after his dominant wins in the first two legs, the $500,000 Group 1 Hunter Cup at Melton on February 3 and the $1mil Group 1 Miracle Mile at Menangle on March 9.
With Leap To Fame out having a break, Catch A Wave scored his first Grand Circuit win of the season and the second of his career after last year's Miracle Mile when he stormed around the field at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
It was a complete contrast to his only other Grand Circuit run this year when, a career-worst last in Leap To Fame's Hunter Cup.
"He's right in the zone and absolutely thrived during his time in Perth," trainer Andy Gath said.
"To win the Nullarbor and then back it up a week later and go even better to win the Fremantle Cup is a massive thrill."
"It's been a really important trip here because the horse did have doubters, and I can understand that."
"He's been a bit disappointing at times in the year since he won the Chariots Of Fire and then the Miracle Mile, but he turned it around and is close to $2 million in earnings now.
"He's the best pacer I've trained and it's really satisfying to see him getting big wins like this."
"I'm realistic enough to know; there's Leap To Fame on a bit of a level of his own and then the rest, but our guy is as good as any of the others when he's right, and he's showing it now."
Catch A Wave moved to second spot on the Grand Circuit table with 101 points. Leap To Fame leads with 200. Next in line are young Kiwi stars Dont Stop Dreaming (70) along with Jumpingjackmac and Sooner The Bettor on 60.
But Gath confirmed Catch A Wave would not contest the next leg of the seven-race Australian Grand Circuit, the $400,000 Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park on July 27.
"No, we'll give our guy a break now and stay away from Leap To Fame in his own backyard," Gath laughed.
"Our next Grand Circuit run will be the Victoria Cup (October 12), where we will probably have Leap To Fame to contend with again, but at least it'll be in our home state."
Beyond the Blacks A Fake and Victoria Cup, the other two remaining Australian Grand Circuit races this year are the $450,000 Group 1 WA Pacing Cup at Gloucester Park on November 8 and the $500,000 Inter Dominion Pacing Final at Menangle on December 14.
