High-class pacer Catch A Wave bounced back to his best and launched a busy $1.25 million Nullabor campaign when he led all the way in the Garrards Tiger Tara Free For All at Melton on Saturday night.

Runner up at his previous two starts, Catch A Wave gave nothing else a chance reeling off a 53.7-second last 800 metres in holding off multiple Group 1 winner Better Eclipse, who enjoyed a soft run on the back of the leader.

Trainer Andy Gath cited the lack of hardened race fitness as the reason for the five-year-old's recent defeats.

"He ran out of condition last week, he's had a pretty heavy work load on the track this week and he's had this run as well," Gath said. "He's still pretty big in condition, so there is more improvement to come."

Gath is under no illusions to the magnitude of the task ahead in Perth.

"It's a $1.25 million race and it's probably the toughest challenge in harness racing to head over to WA, as there are a lot of great trainers over there and it's on a half-mile track with pretty competitive drivers," he said.

"We are aware of the challenge in front of us but we think we've got a horse that is worthy of a spot and hopefully he does the owners and the slot holders proud."

Gath has mapped out an arduous itinerary for last year's Miracle Mile winner.

"He flies out of Sydney on the 8th of April, so there is an opportunity to race at Menangle next Saturday and then race him at Gloucester Park the following Friday, which will mean three runs in 13 days in three different states," he said.

"He's come through this race pretty good and he is a strong, powerful horse who can cop it, so that is the plan we are going with at the moment."

Gath indicated Catch A Wave could also be aimed at the Group 1 $300,000 Fremantle Cup following The Nullabor.

"We just have to keep at him, keep his work at him and keep the racing up to him and hopefully he stays well and healthy, he's travelled well before and I'm sure he'll travel well again," he said.

"Even though he led and won tonight he's a great horse off the speed, so if he's in a truly run race sitting back in that field he has an amazing turn of foot and can run any time he has to."