Catch A Wave & Kate Gath Photo by Pacepix/Club Menangle
MILLIONAIRE pacer Catch A Wave launches the eastern states raid on the $1.25mil Group 1 Nullarbor a week early when he steps out at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Trainer Andy Gath was pleased with how the five-year-old handled the biggest trip of his stellar career and is eagerly pushing ahead with a planned lead-up race in the Sky Racing free-for-all (2130m).
"He's good. He's settled in nicely at Bondy's (Greg and Skye Bond's stables), and we've always been keen on this lead-up run," Gath said.
"If you go back through his career, he's always thrived when he's backed up a week later, especially in his biggest wins.
"He's really grown and filled out as he's got older, and we think more racing is just what he needs."
Catch A Wave has dominated so many of his races from the front, including his Miracle Mile win last year, but he will likely have to swoop late or make a midrace move on Friday night from a back row draw (gate 11).
"I don't mind it. He's got so much early speed; if he'd drawn well, we'd almost have to use it, but the back row takes that off the table," driver Kate Gath said.
"A lot depends on how the race is run, but I'd love the chance to sit him up and come with one run. He's got so much speed when you drive him that way."
Catch A Wave is the only one of the three eastern states raiders – Hot And Treacherous and Spirit Of St Louis are the others – who will race in WA before Friday week's Nullarbor.
Just one other confirmed Nullarbor runner will be amongst Catch A Wave's rivals on Friday night.
That's recent Bunbury Cup winner Jumpingjackmac, who is locked in for the slot held jointly by trainer Gary Hall Sr and Kiwi owner Steve Waters.
Like Catch A Wave, Jumpingjackmac will have to come from the back row (gate 12) on Friday.
Top young trainer Justin Prentice has made one of the toughest calls of his career ahead of the Nullarbor.
Prentice and his co-owners in their Nullarbor slot have opted for proven Group 1 performer Mighty Ronaldo ahead of emerging stablemate Tricky Miki as their runner in Australia's second-richest race at Gloucester Park on Friday week.
It gives Prentice two of the ten runners with his stable star Never Ending already locked into the Ladbrokes slot.
"We tossed and turned about this one. It's been such a difficult decision, there's nothing between the two horses," Prentice said.
"We hoped their clash last week (at Gloucester Park) would give us a clearer picture, but they finished alongside each other. They both went well and didn't have much luck."
"In the end, Mighty Ronaldo is just that bit more experienced, especially in big races, and we've gone with him. He's an opportunist, so he's going to need the right sort of run and luck when it matters."
Prentice has been busily working on Never Ending since the four-year-old's last-start sixth in the Bunbury Cup when driver Gary Hall Jr said he "hung worse than he ever has."
"We've got to get him going a lot straighter than that and we're trying a few things," he said.
"Thankfully, we've got the race week back against his own age to get a guide on how the changes are working."
"He's been able to get away with doing a few things wrong on the way through the ranks, but now he's in the big league, and you've got to do it all right."
Prentice and his co-owners from JP Racing choosing Mighty Ronaldo leaves just one spot, that of Swandoo Racing, open for the Nullarbor.
This week, it was also confirmed that the in-form and high-class Minstrel would run in the Team Bond slot ahead of talented stablemates Tenzing Bromac and Ideal Agent.
Minstrel effectively made the decision himself with a powerhouse win in last Friday night's strong Group 3 Governor's Cup at Gloucester Park. It was his sixth win from his past seven starts.
· Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
