Just days after celebrating the extraordinary career of Tornado Valley the team behind the million-dollar trotter has emerged with another potentially top tier horse.
Vintage Cheddar was impressive in registering a third consecutive victory in tonight’s Nutrien Equine Markovina Free For All, the seven-year-old proving himself another savvy purchase by trainer Andy Gath for owner Norm Jenkin.
With reinswoman Kate Gath they’ve enjoyed extraordinary success with squaregaiters Tornado Valley, who was retired on Thursday, and McLovin, and Kate was excited about the new addition who’s unbeaten in three starts since crossing the Tasman.
“There’s no doubt this horse was up with New Zealand’s best when he was going good,” Kate said.
“Andy liked him a couple of years ago when he was really in form, the times he can run at the end of 2600 are pretty good and up there with what most of the really good horses can run.
“He was pretty badly out of form the last two months, maybe even 12 months, he definitely hasn’t been going like what he can.”
She said the form drop meant opportunity knocked and “Andy and Norm thought he was worth the risk”.
“You do have to pay OK money for them, but it’s nothing compared to what you would have to pay when they are in form,” Kate said.
“It’s worked for a lot of them so far. We’ve had the trotters, Tornado (Valley), McLovin – they were sort of in the same boat. It was a risk that Norm was prepared to take and it looks like it’s really going to pay dividends for him.”
Vintage Cheddar was fifth in his last start in New Zealand on January 12 at the end of a nine-race Kiwi campaign that delivered only one placing, a third on October 10.
Only five weeks separated his last New Zealand start and his Victorian debut at Terang on February 19, but he quickly impressed for his new stable, winning by a half-head.
He then backed up with a seven-metre win at Ballarat on February 25 and then tonight’s victory from gate 11 in his Melton debut, which was all the more impressive for having been registered despite not all going to plan.
With a tick over a lap to go Kate advanced Vintage Cheddar from near the back of the field to make a play for the breeze, but that was thwarted when Glenn Douglas popped out on Major Roll to lead the three-wide line.
Breeze horse Western Sonador, sitting outside leader Jilliby Sylvester, kicked up to hold Major Roll on his outside and that left Vintage Cheddar three-wide with cover for the last lap.
The moves quickened the pace with 28.23 and 27.84 second and third quarters and come the last turn Vintage Cheddar was four wide and with brilliant finisher Bulletproof Boy breathing down his neck.
But the new arrival had the answers to score by a half-head, which Kate said was “a really good win and he had to do a bit of work”.
“I was talking to Andy before the race and he thought Bulletproof Boy was the one to beat because he can just beat anything. We knew if the tempo was on he’d be rattling home.
“Luckily we were able to hold on and to my horse’s credit he’s done a really good job. To win from barrier 11 is really not easy and he’s been able to do it, so hopefully that can continue.”
It was the first of a double for Kate and Andy Gath with Vacation Hill following up to win the Catanach’s Jewellers Trotters Free For All.
Kate found the front without wasting any great energy and was then able to control the race for the final sprint home, with leading threat Wobelee able to get a cushy run on her back late but only able to narrow the margin to two metres.
Another horse who continues to impress is Cheyella, Laura Crossland’s four-year-old mare who registered a fourth win in six outings, pairing with reinsman Damian Wilson to win tonight’s Hip Pocket Workwear & Safety Pace.
“She just keeps surprising us,” Wilson said. “Every time she steps out she goes better. The race turned out perfect tonight.”
Denis William was also impressive in bouncing back for trainer-driver Simone Walker, who took advantage of the early pace to box on well late and win by 1.2 metres from Ozzie Battler in the Celebrating 60 Years Of Darren Watson Pace.
Reinsman Mark Pitt registered a treble with two-year-old Ambiguous (for trainer Wayne Potter) and three-year-old Beach Life (for trainer Emma Stewart) winning the TAB Long May We Play Premiere Stakes and Woodlands Stud 3YO Pace respectively.
Pitt then capped the night with his third victory, ringing up a double for Emma Stewart, as Go Dancing showed why punters backed him into a $1.10 with a dominant win in the Allied Express Vicbred Pace.
Wheres Seggy (Joe Pace/James Herbertson) and Teetreetommy (Michael Barby/Anne-Maree Conroy) got the ball rolling in races one and two, where they found the front and scored, with the latter making it two on the trot in claiming the Beraldo Coffee Trot.
