A wave of wins on eve of new year

By Tim O’Connor (HRV)

VICBRED SUPER SERIES – Pacers

Stars shone and others emerged as the sun set on a wonderful 2022 season of Victorian pacing at Tabcorp Park Melton on New Year’s Eve.
Some added to Group 1 hauls while others landed their first victory at the elite level on a night of exciting Vicbred Super Series finals action.
The late Richard Matthews was in the thoughts of trainer-driver combination Andy and Kate Gath after their emerging superstar Catch A Wave took out the Ride High Vicbred Super Series final for three-year-old colts and geldings.
Matthews owned the son of Captaintreacherous and wife Pauline has continued racing the exciting youngster since his passing in September.
“It’s just such a thrill for the Matthews family…,” Kate said.
“They’ve continued on with Richard’s legacy. His son David, who Andy has a lot to do with, and obviously Pauline his wife.”
Catch A Wave led easily from barrier three, and despite a mid-race challenge from Matthew Craven and Heza Son Of Agun, had little to worry about in the $130,000 showdown.
He slipped clear at the top of the straight and hung on to win from a fast-finishing Roarforroscoe, who closed the gap to 2.8m at the post.
Catch A Wave has now won 13 of 17 career starts for prizemoney earnings of almost $400,000.

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Perhaps the most impressive performance on the night came in the juvenile ranks by a horse hailing from the state’s leading barn.
The Emma Stewart-trained The Lost Storm has long promised he was capable of something amazing and he produced it with a stunning display.
Aided by a hectic early tempo from Dougs Platter and Blake Bolac, the son of Captaintreacherous cruised to the death seat at the bell and then put his rivals to the sword in the back straight. In the end, his 36.7m demolition job came in a mile rate of 1:52.2 – a new age group record at Melton over the 2240m trip – and added a much-deserved Group 1 success to his brilliant campaign.
“I expected him to do something like that – he’s a quality animal this horse,” driver Mark Pitt said.
“He had a couple of tough runs before the Breeders Crown final so that probably told on him a little bit, but he had two soft wins – the heat and the semi – and then he was cherry ripe for the final.
“I’ve sat behind a few really, really good horses and he’s right up there with them.”

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Stewart clinched more glory later in the night with stablemates Joyful and Amore Vita.
Formerly trained by Brent Lilley, Joyful clinched her fifth-straight victory since joining the Cardigan stable before Amore Vita backed up her Vicbred win as a two-year-old when prepared by Nathan Purdon in the decider for three-year-old fillies.
Amore Vita was transferred to Stewart when Purdon returned home to New Zealand in November and won her first race for the team in the semi-final last week.
Chris Alford has built a great relationship with the former Kiwi pacer and partnered her to victory at his 22nd race in her company on Saturday night.
“She’s done a great job, but she’s been building up to it,” Alford said.
“The main thing is she’s racing really kind now, and just settling and racing when she’s supposed to.”

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Dougs Babe emerged from the shadow of her more high-profile competitors to break a Group 1 duck in the Vincent Vicbred Super Series final for four-year-old mares.
The Geoff Webster-trained daughter of Western Terror climbed to the top of her division by running down Tough Tilly in the home straight to secure a long-awaited elite level triumph.
Dougs Babe was driven beautifully by Anthony Butt, who worked to the lead through the early stages of the race and then handed up the top to Tay Tay when she came from the back of the field. With Tough Tilly outside the leader for the last lap, Butt muscled Dougs Babe onto her back approaching the turn and she sprinted best to score by just over a metre on the line.
“I thought (Tough Tilly) would be hard to beat. Tough Tilly is a champion, we all know that, but it’s always hard when you’ve got to come from the second row and circle them, and I thought she probably wouldn’t find the front,” Butt said.
“The way she went last week and the way she has progressed for Geoff over the last six months, I think she has closed the gap on them (the leading four-year-old mares).”
Butt’s partner Sonya Smith purchased Dougs Babe during December, with her record now sitting at 11 wins from 51 starts.

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The scratching of Major Moth due to lameness on Saturday afternoon took some shine off the Rock N Roll Heaven Vicbred Super Series final for four-year-old entires and geldings, but the race proved to be one of the most eventful of the evening.
Matthew Craven attempted a daring early bid for the lead from outside the back row before Jodi Quinlan came searching for the top with her charge Act Now. This forced Greg Sugars to burn in front on favourite Better Eclipse, who used up vital energy to keep the lead.
In the end it proved telling as Better Eclipse faded in the closing stages and Captain Bellasario, who had a sweet run midfield in the running line for Jack Laugher, swept down the centre of the track to grab Act Now in the shadows of the post.
La Captain, for Bailey McDonough, hit the line hard for third at big odds.
Laugher was thrilled to score his second career Group 1 and first with the Jayne Davies-trained pacer, who has now won eight of 29 starts.
“We’ve sort of thought all along the way that he’s a pretty special horse and he just needed a chance to show it. And tonight he showed it,” Laugher said.
“It’s pretty special to get the win on him.