Monday’s announcement by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian that the border between NSW and Victoria would be shut on Tuesday night, was vindication for Matt Clark that he had made the right decision.
Clark, who has two runners, Catch The Thief and Playlist, in Saturday’s Group 1 Vic Peter Classic at Wentworth Park, made the decision on the advice of stewards to take a punt and stay in Sydney instead of returning to Melbourne after last week’s heats.
“Last week before the heats, the stewards called and were really worried about Catch The Thief being $1.65 favourite (for his heat) and favourite for the series, and they were concerned that if we qualified, and returned home, the borders may close,” Clark explained.
“My original intentions were to drive up on the Saturday, go home on the Saturday. But after talking to them, I made the hasty decision at 5pm on Thursday night to pack up everything and come up first thing Friday morning.
“Then once here, I thought I should just stay and not go home after the heats. So I went and booked a hotel before the heats. The woman (at the hotel) told me that there wasn’t a refund if I cancelled, so I’m glad the dogs go through.
“We’re staying at Potts Park and it’s a beautiful facility and thank you to Michael Ekert and his team there, it’s perfect for what I want this week."
Clark - who has more than repaid the good will, having climbed aboard the ride-on mower and mowed the track and surrounds - believes a week to settle in the new environment will do his dogs wonders this Saturday.
“The dogs didn’t really settle last week and I think we will see better this week. These races are always hard to win, and I’m just happy I’m here to enjoy it. My dog (Catch The Thief) won five in a row in Perth, won a Winter Cup and the Group 2 Derby, and I wasn’t there to enjoy it. I’ve got to say, the team here in Sydney led by Steve Noyce, have been wonderful and really made every effort to make sure everything was right and I can’t thank him enough.
“Where we finish in the final … I don’t care, I’m happy to be a part of it.”
After a sizzling box-to-box trial in the lead-up, Catch The Thief was sent out a $1.45 favourite to win his heat, but after missing the jump, he had to battle to finish third behind Zipping Sheldon, and then Clark had a painstaking wait to see if his dog’s third placing time of 30.08s would be fast enough to make it through to the final.
In the second heat the third placegetter – his brother Playlist – clocked 29.77s, so it meant the third dog in the final heat had to run slower than 30.08s or the pre-series’ favourite would be out.
Thankfully for Clark, fellow Victorian Houdini Boy could manage only 30.37s in finishing third, gifting the final spot in the final to Catch The Thief.
“Yeah I was holding my breath,” Clark confirmed. “He’s only a baby. They have both only just turned two, and look when you win seven in a row as he had, you are closer to your next defeat, so I was well aware that the dog is entitled to make a mistake.
“I don’t think he made much of a mistake, he just dwelt at the start which dogs can do here and he was really crowded for room and when he got to the first corner I think under pressure he just went to the middle of the track and made a mess of it, but he still managed to tidy up and run third, and managed to qualify.”
Catch The Thief has come up with box five in the final, but Clark’s other runner, Playlist, drew box one, and it was hard for the trainer to contain his excitement.
“Yeah I was really excited about box one,” he confessed. “This dog was always the better dog (than Catch The Thief) when I was pre-training them and he really deserves his time to shine.
“He didn’t go to Perth like Catch The Thief because he had a few injury problems so I left him at home, but I did say to Steve Shinners (WA trainer) when Catch The Thief was over there, that his brother at home - Playlist - is just as good as him, and I think he’s proven (in the Vic Peters heat) that he is capable of mixing it with the best, all he needs is an inside draw and he’s got that for next week.
“He was vulnerable (in the heat) from box six and I thought that Tommy Shelby (in box seven) was going to wipe him out at the start, but the two of them got a clean run across. He didn’t do a lot wrong and I think the dog is going the best I have ever had him.”
