By Tim O'Connor
Despite building an imposing career resume, the Andy Gath trained Yambukian finds it difficult to step out of the considerable shadow cast by his younger sibling.
In most other families, Yambukian’s record of six metropolitan successes en route to more than $230,000 in prize money would be the headline act.
Not when your younger half-brother happens to be eight times Group 1 winner Catch A Wave.
Yambukian again showed his penchant for racing at Melton when he led all the way in the CNR Router Bits Free For All on Saturday night.
With Jordan Leedham in the sulky, Yambukian showed his customary gate speed to head off stable mate Tango Tara shortly after the start with his main danger Bulletproof Boy working around to keep him company.
In the run to the line Yambukian managed to stave off a gallant Bulletproof Boy by half a head with Tango Tara three metres away third in a mile rate of 1:51.7 for the 1720 metre sprint trip.
Leedham said finding the lead was the catalyst in winning the race.
“He was a lot sharper tonight than what he usually is and from the wide draw I was able to get across,” Leedham said.
“It was a quick first 200 (metres) off the gate but once I got across to the pegs he came back to me straight away and I was able to get a cheap second quarter.
Then he got rolling down the back and he was good enough to hang on.”
The seven-year-old’s race track performances are not lost on Gath.
“I know he’s often referred to as Catch A Wave’s older brother but his record shows he’s a good horse in his own right,” Gath said.
“He’s a genuine horse who always gives his best.
He’s a 120 rater now so it all gets down to barrier draws in these free for alls but he’s always hard to beat when he finds the front.”
Trainer Joe Pace mapped out plans for a winter holiday in Brisbane after his talented trotter Harry Stamper returned to the winning list in the Yabby Dam Farms Trotters Free For All.
Sent out a well-supported favourite, Harry Stamper worked to the front inside the first 400 metres of the race and was never headed thereafter scoring by four metres from Im Bobby and Watts Up Partytime.
It was the six-year- old’s first win since August last year however Pace cited issues with the horse’s stifles as the reason for his absence from the winner’s stall.
“His stifles started locking up after the Inter Dominion heat at Newcastle which is why he kept galloping on the first turn,” Pace said
“We tried everything including injecting them but nothing worked and then we tried a ‘stabbing’ procedure under anesthetic and it has turned him around,” he said.
