Gath hoping for another Vintage performance from import

The raid on New Zealand stock has been a proven method of success for prominent owner Norm Jenkin and top trainer Andy Gath, and the dynamic duo looks to have hit the jackpot yet again with smart pacer Vintage Cheddar.

While the Queensland-based Jenkin has been a supporter of Gath right through his training journey, the Kiwi “invasion”, as the Long Forest horseman describes it, began when they acquired Three Ways back in 2015.

After a winless start to his career on the other side of the Tasman, the son of Mach Three would eventually go on to claim 17 races and more than $200,000 in prizemoney here in Australia.

Since then, there’s been a multitude of shrewd buys including Clover Mac, K D Muscles, Mclovin, Diamonds N Cash, Tango Tara and, of course, the champion Tornado Valley.

Vintage Cheddar had 11 wins from 49 starts in New Zealand before Jenkin purchased the bay gelding and he’s made an instant impact since joining the Gath stable. He sat parked and won narrowly on Australian debut at Terang on February 19 and was just over a second outside the Ballarat 2200m track record while beating a quality field from the back row last Friday night.

“At this stage he hasn’t shown any gate speed which could sort of hinder him a little bit going forward,” Gath said.

“A lot of his races (in New Zealand) were standing start racing and when he did have mobile racing, he sort of drew the back row.

“He does hit his knee pretty hard, he’s quite a hard knee-knocker, but it doesn’t affect his ability obviously. He’s not perfect in his gait, he has a bit of a head bob every now and then when he goes too, but in saying that he’s got a really big motor.

“He came over here probably not in great form, but he’s slowly starting to turn it around and get back to what he can go like.

“The times he used to run in New Zealand suggest that he’s up there with Grand Circuit level, but we know how hard it is to get there.

“We are hopeful that he can get there. He’s a genuine free-for-all type horse anyway, but whether he can just improve that extra five per cent to reach Grand Circuit level, time will tell.”

Vintage Cheddar, who competed in four Group 1 events in his home country, will line-up in this Saturday night’s Nutrien Equine Markovina Free For All at Tabcorp Park Melton, a race Gath has won previously with top pacers Caribbean Blaster and Maximan.

The event is one of two $24,000 features on Saturday night’s card, along with the TAB Long May We Play Premiere Stakes for the two-year-olds.

Rob Auber and Steve Cleave will join racecaller Dan Mielicki to headline the TrotsVision coverage, which will kick-off shortly before the opening event at 6.07pm.