Catch him if you can, Gath says

It’s time to catch a wave (Donating) To get up … again.

For all its sparkle and astonishing CV, the eight -time group 1 Harnas Racenwinner has been a mystery recently.

But a gun pulling and a suitable race have trainer Andy Gath who expects him to “get the job done” in the Casey Classic (2240m) on Saturday evening in Melton.

Catch a wave is plagued by popping hoof problems that arise from an abscess after the Brisbane Inter Dominion Final on July 19.

Of course he won astonishingly well at Melton Two starts back, but both sides of it has been a hoof a fight.

“I think he is finally right again. He seems very good,” Gath said.

“He didn’t miss much work there, so he is pretty close to the goal.

“Like all the good horses, he will improve what he is doing this week with a view to the Victoria Cup, but he is definitely ready to win.

“The last few races in which he has been, have been his random draws, but he has arbitrarily poorly pulled and now happiness has come his way.

“It’s a great draw and we will use and lead it.

“You have to use a draw like this and he led in Gloucester Park a few months ago. He can still do it.

“It’s really his race to lose.”

Gath said that Catch A Wave would go directly from this race to the $ 250,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup on October 18. It is a race that he finished a good second in two years ago.

Then it is a new challenge, the rich NSW carnival of Cups, to chase a piece of the $ 1 million bonus offered.

The first stage is on Wagga on November 14 for Newcastle (December 5) and Bathurst (January 30).

“That’s the plan. The first three legs are on the biggest and best three songs in the (five race) series,” said Gath.

“After those first three legs we will know if he is a chance on the bonus and can decide whether we will go to the others (Albury on 13 February and Penrith on March 20).”

The bonus is $ 1 million for each horse that can win all five legs, $ 500,000 for four wins and $ 250,000 for three victories.

Mighty Stayer Swayzee faltered $ 500,000 last year for four wins and a second one.

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Through Adam HamiltonFor Harness Racing Australia