Multiple premiership-winning driver Kate Gath is just happy to be back in the sulky after a “bad back” sidelined her for a couple of weeks.
Gath, Melton’s leading driver in 2020, ’21 and ’23, returns with some key drives headed by her own enigmatic stable star Catch A Wave and exciting pick-up drive The Preacher at Melton on Saturday night.
“It’s a bulging disc and it’s been troubling me for a couple of months,” she said. “It came out of nowhere and was so uncomfortable, but then it became even worse a couple of days before ‘Tex’s’ (Catch A Wave’s stable name) last run and I had to take myself off him.
“It got to the stage where I couldn’t get out of bed.
“I had a cortisone injection in it but it didn’t work. Thankfully I went back again last week and the second one has worked. The difference is amazing.”
Gath is also a dedicated marathon runner and the back injury derailed Gath’s plans to run in last month’s Gold Coast half marathon as part of her preparation for next year’s London Marathon.
“I love my running, but the specialist said I’ve just got to take a break for a while until my back settles,” she said.
Gath will reunite with Catch A Wave in a strong and fascinating 1720m free-for-all, the opening race at Melton on Saturday night.
For all his talent, eight Group 1 wins, and almost $2.3 million in prize money, Catch A Wave hasn’t won since October 4, last year.
But the rising eight-year-old had niggling hoof issues last campaign and Gath said a change of gear and positive runs at his past two starts had pleased her and husband, Andy Gath.
“All this campaign we’ve worked him in an open bridle and he’s been so much more relaxed,” Gath said. “We didn’t quite trust him first-up, but he over-raced that night and then we’ve raced him in the open bridle the past two runs and although he’s been unlucky, the signs have been great.
“He’s more relaxed and finished off his races better. He just had nowhere to go last time. We’re really happy where he’s at and this week will tell us more again.”
That’s because Catch A Wave has finally drawn the front row, albeit wide in gate seven, and Gath will go forward to look for the lead or sit outside the leader.
“We can’t go back and he seems so much more relaxed with the open bridle, it gives me confidence he won’t overdo it if we go forward,” she said.
“It’s only a sprint (1720m) and the main dangers (Fighter Command and Bulletproof Boy) are drawn out the back. Yes, we’ve got speed like Calexico and Meteor Moth inside us, but it’s time to put him right into it.
“We’re really happy with him at home and think he can still be a factor in the big races with the right draw and some luck.”
The Group 1 Victoria Cup on October 17, a race Catch A Wave was beaten a whisker in two years ago, is the next big target.
Gath has a big start to the night with the pick-up drive on Noel Alexander and Jayne Davies’ exciting three-year-old trotter The Preacher in a strong Group 3 Holmfield Trot. Other key runners are Pastor Dunbar and Munny The Munster, who ran the quinella in the Group 1 NSW Trotters’ Derby.
“Chris Alford is the regular driver, but he’s got his own horse Unclad in these big three-year-old trotting races, so Noel asked if I’d drive this week and in the big races coming up,” Gath said.
“It won’t be easy from the back row in a strong race, but it’ll be good to get a feel for the horse before the Vicbred and the Derby.”
