Fighter Command smashes decade old record to race into the TAB Eureka

THE world's richest race has a real X-factor.

Big, raw and almost goofy three-year-old Fighter Command blazed his way into the $2.1mil TAB Eureka with a stunning win in last night's (Saturday) $80,000 The Beautide in Hobart.

With driver Greg Sugars "cuddling" him to the line, Fighter Command cruised home by 16.1m and smashed the track record.

His 1min55.3sec mile rate took a full second off Pachacuti's track record from 10 years ago.

Victory in The Beautide secured Fighter Command the Tasracing slot in the TAB Eureka at Menangle on September 7. His odds have been slashed from $21 to $7.

Fighter Command is Tasmanian-bred and largely Tasmanian-owned, but trained in Victoria by Sugars and his wife, Jess Tubbs.

"It (TAB Eureka) is a great concept, and having the chance to run for this sort of money is unheard of. It's pretty exciting to be part of it," Sugars said.

"It's an interesting sort of race this year, the Eureka. A few of the early fancied horses aren't in peak form. It's a bit hard to say.

"He's still a baby but has plenty of ability. I'm sure he won't disgrace himself, and the conditions mean he has to draw well".

"We're still 12 months away from seeing the absolute best of him, I think. It's certainly a big plus he's been to Menangle before and performed well there."

Tubbs added: "You can't turn up that sort of earning opportunity for his owners."

Speculation is growing there could be another three-year-old in the TAB Eureka with connections of recent Queensland Derby runner-up Bay Of Biscay expressing their interest.

Insiders say Bay Of Bisbay's owners have had talks with at least two slot owners and a deal could be imminent.

The TAB Eureka is restricted to Australian-bred three and four-year-old pacers. Only two of the 10 runners in last year's inaugural race were three-year-olds and they were well beaten. The Lost Storm ran seventh and Captain Hammerhead was ninth.

Emerging WA star Never Ending was beaten for the first time in three starts this campaign but smashed the clock when second. He remains a $3.50 TAB Eureka favourite.

Doubts still linger over long-time favourite Frankie Ferocious, who has TAB's slot, and The Lost Storm, who was signed up by the Aaron Bain Racing & Summit Bloodstock slot.

Frankie Ferocious hasn't fired in three runs this campaign, while The Lost Storm's only race in the past two months was a last at Melton on July 13.

While Dougs Platter re-emerged as a contender with an impressive first-up win at Menangle last night and Perfect Class (second at Melton) and Sure Thing Captain (second at Albion Park) didn't hurt their cause.

Officially, only the slots of Team Zav (Danny and Jo Zavitsanos) and Kevin and Kay Seymour remain, but queries over Frankie Ferocious and The Lost Storm could open up another two slots.

Fighter Command winning The Beautide - Eliza Howlett Photography