Kate Gath gets the call-up to drive Don't Stop Dreaming

By Adam Hamilton 

Top Aussie driver Kate Gath is still buzzing after getting the call-up to drive Don't Stop Dreaming in Saturday night’s $100,000 Group 2 Cranbourne Cup in Victoria. 

After two decades of trying to beat a long list of Mark Purdon-trained superstars, this will be the first time Gath has driven for him. 

“I couldn’t believe it when we got the call,” Gath said. “I’ve never driven for Mark before and now I’m on his best pacer, a horse who’s won over $1 million.

“What thrill, it’s a huge buzz to have someone like Mark ask you to drive for him.”

It shows the awe Gath and others have for Purdon when you consider she’s driven almost 2200 winners, including the 58 at Group 1 level, the most by any Aussie female.

“I’m so used to driving against Mark and all the great horses he’s had, this will feel very different,” Gath said.

Don't Stop Dreaming, who ran second to Leap To Fame in last year’s Hunter Cup, came back and ran seventh in this year’s Cup, but was only beaten 7.1m behind Swayzee and Leap To Fame last Saturday night. Purdon himself drove Don't Stop Dreaming last week but has since returned home to  Matamata. 

“He went well. He got back, had to come very wide and ran on well. He wasn’t far away at all at the finish,” Gath said.

“Speaking to Mark, he felt the horse might have gotten away on them a little bit with three weeks between runs.

“He thinks that run will bring him on and he’ll be better this week.”

But Gath understands the enormity of the challenge from barrier six, while Leap To Fame has gate two.

“It looks ideal for Leap To Fame and his run was incredible last week. He’s going to be very hard to beat, but it’s good to hear Mark expects improvement from Don't Stop Dreaming,” she said.

Much interest will be on the first 150m and whether noted speedster Mach Dan (gate three) blasts out and crosses Leap To Fame, which is very likely.

Then if Gath comes out running as well and can beat Leap To Fame to try press for the lead from Mach Dan.

Remarkably, Gath is yet to win a Cranbourne Cup.

“I’ve won five (Cranbourne) Trotters’ Cups, but not their pacing cup,” she said.

“I remember Caribbean Blaster ran a fantastic third in it (in 2012) and it gave us the confidence to think he could win the Victoria Cup, which he did a week later.”

Gath was only available to drive Don't Stop Dreaming because Catch A Wave – a $2 million-earner trained by Gath and husband, Andy – bypassed Cranbourne.

“Andy wanted to keep him in sprint races until the Miracle Mile, so he felt Cranbourne wasn’t the right option,” she said.

With Greg Sugars driving at Menangle on Saturday night, Mark and Nathan Purdon have booked Anthony Butt to drive their other Cranbourne runner, Oscar Bonavena in the $60,000 Group 1 Bruce Skeggs Trotters' Cup.