By Adam Hamilton
Caretaker trainer Andy Gath is warming to emerging Kiwi filly Lifes A Beach.
When the daughter of Bettors Delight arrived in Victoria from Tony Barron’s stable last week, Gath’s first observations were that she was a plain looker.
“Then again, Ladies In Red isn’t much to look at either and she’s a superstar,” Gath laughed.
“This filly is pretty plain and her work has been good without getting too excited, but apparently that’s what she’s like.”
Lifes A Beach faces a baptism of fire at her Aussie debut, facing Ladies In Red in a heat of the Breeders Crown at Bendigo on Friday night.
In her favour, Lifes A Beach has gate two, while Ladies In Red has to come from wide on the back row (10).
“I’ve looked back through her replays and it seems like she’s got a bit of gate speed, even though she hasn’t been asked to use it much,” Gath said.
“Hopefully she can get out quickly enough for Kate (Gath, driver) to take advantage of the good.
“Put it this way, we’ll know where she sits in the pecking order of this amazing batch of fillies pretty quickly after this race.
“They are such a great crop. I think Ladies In Red and Bettor Twist would’ve been competitive in the Victoria Cup had they run and then you can throw in Beach Music and Tough Tilly, who is back for this series as well.”
In other stable news, Gath said struggling star Wolf Stride had been diagnosed with “several” issues after a bone scan and was back at owner Emilio Rosati’s farm in NSW.
“There were a multitude of hot spots, but nothing overly serious, so Emilio wanted him back at the farm where his vet can plan what to do,” Gath said.
“I’d imagine the horse would need some time out now and then start again.”
Gath also said it was now most unlikely he would take any of his star pacers or trotters to the upcoming NSW Inter Dominion.
“I’m pretty sure we won’t go, not even with the trotters,” he said. “Majestuoso would be as good a chance as any in it, but even if he wins the final, first prize is (only) $80,000 and that’s after having to travel around a lot for three heats,” he said.
“We’ve got a lot on here at the same time with the Breeders Crown and then into the Vicbred.”
Along with Lifes A Beach, Gath’s other key Breeders Crown hopefuls are exciting two-year-old Catch A Wave and emerging three-year-old Yambukian.
Yambukian, who ran an eye-catching seventh in the Victoria Derby and has won two races since, starts from gate five in his Crown heat at Bendigo on Thursday night.