Dougs Platter: Last chance for Eureka Glory

OUTSPOKEN trainer Kevin Pizzuto knows D-Day is nearing.

Any hopes of snatching a late slot in the world’s richest race, the $2.1mil TAB Eureka, will rely on his young stable star Dougs Platter making a statement at Menangle on Saturday night.

“We’ve got our back to the wall, but I’m used to it and thrive on it,” Pizzuto said. “I know I’ve got a horse good enough to win the TAB Eureka and I’ve got him back to his best, hopefully just in time.

“The horse fibrillated (had an irregular heartbeat) two starts back and it’s really made things difficult. I moved stables to Menangle and it seemed to unsettle him, but I’ve turned him around and he showed it with the big win last Saturday.

“He’s finally drawn well this week and I know how important it is for him to not only win, but do it impressively.

“He’s getting out of the gate better all the time and even though he’s got some quality rivals this week (including Petracca and Dangerous), I’m not worried about them.

“He’s a 1min48sec horse, this guy with the right run, I’m sure of it.

“I’ve said before, Tiger Tara is the best horse I’ve trained, but this guy is the fastest.”

Interestingly, champion Victorian trainers Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin have taken two of their TAB Eureka contenders – Petracca and Major Delight – to Menangle to try and impress on Saturday night.

Petracca, winner of last year’s Victoria Derby, has been a beaten favourite in both runs this campaign and like Dougs Platter, Saturday night looms as a line in the sand moment for him.

Star mare Major Delight, who boasts 20 wins from 25 starts, is aiming for her fourth successive victory in the Norms Daughter Stakes (1609m). She faces one of her biggest tests against Group 1-winning Aardies Express.

Eye Keep Smiling is the only confirmed mare in this year's TAB Eureka after last year's inaugural running of the race was won by four-year-old mare Encipher. 

PHOTO: Stuart McCormick