The overnight favourite in betting, Catch A Hero drifted in the betting all morning, softening from 5/2 to 7/2 before being sent out at 9/2, while the Andrew Dale trained Gagosian was solidly supported into outright favouritism at 3/1.
Jumping straight into the lead, Claridge was trying to curb the lightly-race mare’s enthusiasm while the favourite, Gagosian was stone cold last for the first half of the trip, launching a forward move as the field passed the 800m mark.
Catch A Hero was travelling sweetly, Claridge looked in total control and as the field swung into the straight she had pushed the gap to almost two lengths.
The chestnut mare – the only red in the field – stood out like a sore thumb as the also rans tried to peg her back.
At the 200m Claridge gave her a slight touch up with the whip as she could hear Great Bay coming right behind her.
But Claridge remained as cool as a cucumber, showing great maturity as she urged Catch A Hero to victory despite the chaser looming up to her irons and fighting hard to get a nose in front.
It was almost as if each one of the kilogram’s in Claridge’s claim was worth an inch because at a very short half head for the win there was only about three inches in it.
The heavily-backed Gagosian never got into the race and finished an ordinary fourth.
Gwenda said for just her second start over the mile the claim really paid dividends at the end.
“We’ll give her another run over the mile, we’d like to see a bit of rain because we think she would be good in the wet, and Mikaela did really well on her, she’s a good girl that one.”
Gwenda also indicated down the track she saw the mare stretching out even further – to at least 2000m.
Claridge agreed her claim made a big difference but believed the race may have been won at the start when her ride jumped straight to the front out of the inside barrier.
“I didn’t ride her at her last start at Echuca but even though she didn’t win she didn’t fall away either, and she has proved today she can go the distance.
“I hope to get a phone call from Gwenda at the horse’s next start saying she is looking for my 3kg again,” she laughed.
The win gives Catch A Hero two firsts, a second and third from her seven starts and her second win in four starts since coming back from a 22-week spell.
Before the race Mick Johnstone virtually predicted how the race would be run.
He said the horse’s previous start over the mile at her home track wasn’t helped by a wide draw which saw it finish fifth after a win and a second in its first two starts this preparation.
He said the draw and the work the four-year-old mare had to do simply told on her in the end.
“But she’s tightened up after that run and done a bit more work at home – and today she benefited from the 3kg claim of local apprentice Mikaela Claridge – the drop from 59.5kg to 56.5kg will help a lot,” Mick said.
“And she has drawn one so we expect her to be right up on the speed – in first or second or very close there,” he said.
“With her first run over 1600m (at Echuca on April 7) under her belt and a good gallop since then she should be right.”
And she was, and so was Mick.
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