Star driver Kate Gath will be trying to protect an unbeaten record in the $250,000 Group 1 Chariots Of Fire when she teams with outsider My Ultimate Barney at Menangle on Saturday night.
The SA-born driver won Australia’s premier four-year-old feature at her first attempt when Caribbean Blaster caused an upset in 2012.
Her only drive in the race was another upset win on Catch A Wave, who sat outside and beat the buzz horse of the time Captain Ravishing, in 2023.
“It knew it had been a good race to me, but it was Andy (Gath, husband) who told me the other night I’m two-from-two in the Chariots,” Gath said.
“On paper, it looks like I’m right up against it this week with Captains Mistress in the race, but I’d have said the same with Caribbean Blaster and even ‘Tex’ (Catch A Wave), to some extent.
“Caribbean Blaster surprised most people and very few would’ve believed Tex could sit outside Captain Ravishing and beat him back at that time.”
Another win on Saturday night would make Gath level with the late Gavin Lang as the winningest Chariots Of Fire driver with three victories. Lang won on Manifold Bay (2002), Innocent Eyes (2006) and Guaranteed (2014).
Cam Hart (Frankie Ferocious 2024 and Bay Of Biscay last year) and Luke McCarthy (Slipnslide 2005 and Expensive Ego 2021) also boast two wins in the race.
Most expect Hart to complete a hat-trick of wins aboard brilliant mare Captains Mistress, who is unbeaten in five starts since joining Jason Grimson’s stable from NZ. She is $1.05 from gate three.
“She just looks something else,” Gath said. “I saw her firsthand in those couple of wins down in Victoria and she just looks a step above anything else in this race.
“She’s got so much speed and has been winning by margins and in brilliant times.
“You’d think she’ll work forward, probably find the lead, and be very hard to beat on what she’s shown since coming here (from NZ).”
While My Ultimate Barney caught the eye coming from well and back and wide to finish third in his qualifier last Saturday night, Gath wants to be on the (inside) pegs this week.
“And thankfully we’ve got the draw (gate two) to get there,” she said. “It looks obvious for me to drop straight in behind Double Lou, who has the pole. I guess there’s a chance he might hold the lead, but even if he takes a trail on Captains Mistress and we’re three back on the inside, I’ll be happy.
“When they run the sort of times Captains Mistress does, you’ve got to be on the inside. It just makes it almost impossible to come wide and get into the finish.”
Gath thinks My Ultimate Barney will carry into lots more feature races beyond this week.
“I’ve been saying for six months, he’ll be our next top horse,” she said. “He’s just got so much speed. I’m really excited about what’s ahead for this horse.”
My Ultimate Barney is one of two Victorian runners trying to add to the state’s recent dominance in the Chariots Of Fire, having won six of the past eight. The other is the Alex Ashwood-trained Miki B.
