Racing: Gath throws out warning

By MICHAEL GUERIN in Sydney

The time for excuses is over.

Two weeks ago, when La Coocaracha went within centimetres of tasting defeat for the first time in five months, her trainer, Andy Gath, blamed the track and himself.

The Victorian said the great trotting mare wasn't handling the tight track, and he had been too easy on her since she dominated the Nights of Glory carnival.

Gath then spent last week telling anybody who would listen that La Coocaracha was vulnerable in her heat because the distance was short and her handicap long.

She bolted in.

So Gath is not bothering with excuses before tonight's A$200,000 Interdominion Trotting Grand Final.

It is time for the serious stuff.

"She should win," admitted Gath.

"I mean, she has beaten all these horses all season and they have had their chance.

"I think she is the best horse in the race and I think she will be better this week than at any other stage of the carnival.

"And the extra distance will suit her because she has more time to settle and some of the lesser lights will struggle to run out a hard 3370m."

Gath said arch-rival Take A Moment, who has run second to La Coocaracha in three of their five meetings, would also be better tonight.

"But he will have to be. He hasn't really gone close to beating us yet.

"Putting it simply, I think she will win if nothing goes wrong.

"Now it is just a matter of them going out there and doing it."

The "them" Gath referred to incorporates the other leading lady in his life, his wife Kerryn, who drives La Coocaracha.

She faces an interesting tactical decision tonight.

If she launches early on La Coocaracha she will crush most of her rivals.

But she could leave herself a sitting duck for a late charge from Take A Moment.

But the longer Gath waits to move, the greater the risk of traffic problems.

She is likely to try to stay in front of Take A Moment and be at least parked on in the lead with more than a lap to trot.

If she does that, then even her $1.45 odds will be good money.

If La Coocaracha is to be beaten, then Take A Moment is her most likely conqueror.

He has improved throughout this series and stormed home last Friday despite being unlucky early.

He has the manners to get in front of La Coocaracha and the brilliance to sprint with her for a while.

But the bottom line is that when they are both at their best, Take A Moment is not as good.

So he will need to improve four lengths or hope the favourite has an off-night or bad luck.

Both those are possible and at $8, Take A Moment is worth a dollar.

Special Force would have been second-favourite for this race but for having no luck when trapped behind a substandard rival in his heat last week.

His manners should allow him to clear most of the garbage here - which is about half the field - and get handy before the backmarkers.

The 1999 Interdominion champion will be better for last Friday's run and is a must for trifectas.

He is also not the worst consideration for a quinella.

Outside the big three, only Game Bid and Stirling Kiwi, suited by his wide front line draw, look realistic dangers, although both may find a gutbusting 3370m right at the end of their range.

And it is hard to imagine either of them beating La Coocaracha.

In fact, probably only one horse can beat the champion.

And her name is La Coocaracha.