Master trainer Andy Gath commenced the meeting at Melton on a successful note and the night just kept getting better.
Gath harnessed up Soho Darknstormy ($6), who finally broke his metropolitan ‘duck’ when he led all the way in the opening event, getting the verdict from the $3.50 favourite Miss Ari by half a head in a mile rate of 1:54.
Driver Kate Gath said Soho Darknstormy’s early speed is his chief asset.
“He’s been a really handy horse and done quite a good job and it’s probably worth looking to the States with him at some stage as he is getting up in grade, but he can run time and has good gate speed which makes all the difference and puts you in the race,” Gath said.
A couple of hours later, Andy Gath was recognised for his stellar career when he was inducted into the HRV Hall Of Fame.
Among Gath’s 3019 career wins are 62 at Group 1 level, with a further 87 Group 1 placings.
“It feels amazing really, to be honest,” Gath said.
“You just have to look at the people already in the Hall Of Fame, the who’s who of everyone.
“It’s been a long journey and I am pretty thrilled,” he said.
Later in the night, the ultra-consistent four-year-old Ollies The Boss too discarded his metropolitan bridesmaid tag, providing the Gath stable with a winning double after leading all the way in the Congrats Hall Of Fame Clarke Family Pace.
Capping off a memorable night for Gath, Ollies The Boss ($6) won an early battle for the lead from Fire Marshall before holding off Clymenus to score by two metres in a mile rate of 1:54.3.
Kate Gath acknowledged the winner’s penchant for running placings, having been placed at six of his previous seven starts.
“He’s a serial placegetter, isn’t he, but he cracked that tonight and I was really happy with that,” she said.
“He managed to get to the pegs and that made all the difference in the run, as it does, and he went well and got the win.”
