by Adam Hamilton

A decade ago, champion Australian thoroughbred sprinter Hay List carved out a great career of his own despite living in the intimidating shadow of the champion of his time.

Superstar pacer Catch A Wave looks destined to a similar fate now.

Hay List’s nemesis was Black Caviar, the greatest Aussie sprinter of all time, who was unbeaten in 25 starts, 15 of them at Group 1 level.

Hay List ran second to her in four of those Group 1 wins, but still managed 15 wins of his own from just 28 starts — three at Group 1 level — and banked over $2.5 million.

His regular jockey of the time Glyn Schofield summed it up best: “He was so superior to the rest of the horses around at the time, it was just a pity Black Caviar came around when she did.”

Although Catch A Wave has beaten Leap To Fame at home once —  by a whisker in the Group 1 Victoria Cup last October — he’s been humbled in their other two clashes.

While Black Caviar is the undisputed “GOAT” of Australian sprinting, Leap To Fame is just entering that sort of discussion in Down Under pacing ranks. Forty-one wins from just 52 starts, a string of the biggest races and almost $3.2 million while he’s still a 5-year-old will do that for you.

But, like Hay List, away from Leap To Fame, Catch A Wave has built stardom of his own.

Despite being the same vintage as Leap To Fame, some superb placement by his decorated trainer Andy Gath has helped Catch A Wave to 22 wins from his 38 starts and almost $2 million in earnings.

This season alone, he’s won six races and almost $900,000, despite Leap To Fame being at the peak of his powers.

Leap To Fame has won 11 Group 1 races, but Catch A Wave has still managed six, the past two of those coming in his most recent races in the $1.25 million Nullarbor and $300,000 Fremantle Cup in Perth.

He didn’t have Leap To Fame to contend with over west.

Perhaps the greatest compliment for Catch A Wave comes from Leap To Fame’s trainer/driver Grant Dixon.

“I’m a huge fan,” Dixon said. “I’ve watched Catch A Wave closely since his 2-year-old days and he’s a fantastic talent. When it was clear we had something special with Leap To Fame, you look for the horses you’ll likely meet in the big races ahead and Catch A Wave has always been one of the main ones we respect.

“He’s got something Leap To Fame doesn’t have. That incredible high speed. We’ve always thought it would make him a danger any time we met him, if he could get the right sort of run.

“Andy [Gath] and I are mates, we chat and text a bit. We congratulate each other after the big wins. There’s a lot of respect for the horses and each other. We’ve often joked we’ll stay apart as often as we can, for both our sakes.”

Gath insists he says that more seriously.

“I think Grant’s joking a bit when he says that, but I’m serious,” Gath said. “We want to go as many big races as we can where we know Leap To Fame won’t be going. We’re blessed to have Catch A Wave. He’s the best pacer I’ve trained, but Leap To Fame is better. He’s a freak. He could be the best we’ve seen.

“I know we’ll have to race him, but I want to avoid it as much as possible. I’m not saying we couldn’t beat him, but we’d need everything to go right for us and probably a lot to go wrong for him.”

So, it’s no surprise Catch A Wave returns to racing on Saturday night (Aug. 10) at Melton while Leap To Fame is having a little break.

Gath, renowned for his meticulous planning, identified the $150,000 Len Smith Mile at Menangle on Sept. 7 as another Group 1 opportunity where Catch A Wave wouldn’t have Leap To Fame to contend with.

It’s also why he did something he never really planned and on short notice when he took Catch A Wave to the other side of Australia for those Nullarbor and Fremantle Cup wins in April.

“Going there wasn’t on the radar, but he had a setback and missed the Miracle Mile and we didn’t have much else we could target,” Gath said. “It might have been a blessing in disguise because Leap To Fame won the Miracle Mile so well and we got the two big wins in Perth.”

Catch A Wave thrived so well in Perth, he will head back in November for the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup.

“We know he loves it there and Leap To Fame isn’t going over, so as long as we can get suitable flights we will be going,” Gath said.

Gath has also ruled out the Sydney Inter Dominion series in December, which is a major target of Leap To Fame after winning the event in Brisbane last year.

But Catch A Wave and Leap To Fame will clash again, probably just once this year and a couple of times early next year.

Their next and fourth meeting will be in the $300,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton on Oct. 12.

It’s the race where Catch A Wave finished second to Act Now last year. Leap To Fame was a nose away in the third spot.

Beyond that, the $500,000 Hunter Cup in February and $1-million Miracle Mile in March are other logical mutual targets.

“I’d be very happy to keep the scoreline at 2-1,” Gath said with a laugh. “But we’ve got to have a go at some of these really big races, even if it means taking on Leap To Fame, especially in our backyard [in the Victoria and Hunter Cups].”