Hall Jr not fussed by wide TAB Eureka draw
WHILE a gasp went through the room and bookies eased his odds, champion driver Gary Hall Jr wasn’t at all fussed by favourite Never Ending’s wide barrier draw in Saturday night’s $2.1mil TAB Eureka at Menangle.
The boom WA four-year-old will start from the outside (gate 10) after emergencies come out of the world’s richest harness race.
It saw his TAB odds immediately drift from $2.50 to $3.30.
“I’m not fussed or disappointed,” Hall Jr said. “You’ve got to remember, with the preferential draw (for three-year-olds and mares), the best he could draw was five.
“If we’d drawn down closer in five or six, is it really much better?
“I said before it (the draw) I wouldn’t mind drawing wide because he’s a horse who needs to balance up and settle early in his races.
“He also came from out there at his only Menangle run and you saw how good he went that night.
“Put it this way, I don’t think it’s hurt our chances. I’m happy with it.”
Champion NSW trainer-driver Luke McCarthy, who won last year’s inaugural TAB Eureka aboard Encipher and knows Menangle better than anyone, said the longer 2300m distance compared to a mile meant a wide draw wasn’t such a disadvantage.
“No doubt it helps us (rivals) and opens up the race a bit more, but he (Never Ending) was outstanding last start and he looks versatile. He’s still the horse to beat,” he said.
McCarthy said he “wants a night to sleep on the draw” before deciding his drive between his star mare Eye Keep Smiling (gate four, $11) and the in-form Don Hugo (10, $5.50).
“It’s such a hard call. They’re both as good as I could have them, as good as they’ve ever been,” he said.
“I wish I could drive both, but I’ll take the night to sleep on it.”
Young NSW gun Jack Callaghan is favoured to drive whichever runner McCarthy doesn’t choose.
The biggest winner from the draw was emerging Queenslander Sure Thing Captain, who drew the best possible gate for a four-year-old “boy” in barrier five.
The Shannon Price-trained pacer grabbed the last slot into the race when he won the Racenet Discovery Stakes at Menangle last Saturday night.
He’s got history on his side as Encipher was the last runner into last year’s TAB Eureka.
“He’s come through that win well and he’s the sort of horse who will thrive on it and improve,” Price said. “The draw is a help, too. He’s got the early speed to use it and take a position if that’s what Adam (Sanderson, driver) wants to do.”
Sure Thing Captain firmed from $5.50 to $3.80 after the draw.
TAB EUREKA BARRIER DRAW
2300m. Menangle Saturday night.
1. Fighter Command – Greg Sugars - $12
2. Bay Of Biscay – Cam Hart - $16
3. Major Delight – Ashleigh Delosa - $5.50
4. Eye Keep Smiling - TBC - $11
5. Sure Thing Captain – Adam Sanderson - $3.80
6. Wisper A Secret (emerg) – Pete McMullen - $15
7. Free Thinker – Grant Dixon - $71
8. Dougs Platter (emerg) – Josh Gallagher - $101
9. High Above – Kerryn Manning - $15
10. Don Hugo - TBC - $5.50
11. Captains Knock – Brad Hewitt - $41
12. Regazzo Di Tilly (emerg) – Angus Garrard - $101
13. Dangerous (emerg) – Ryan Sanderson - $51
14. Never Ending – Gary Hall Jr - $3.30
* Odds: TAB
* All runners start from the front row