Never Ending is this year’s first confirmed runner
AUSTRALIA’S most exciting young pacer Never Ending is this year’s first confirmed runner for the world’s richest harness race, the $2.1mil TAB Eureka at Club Menangle on September 7.
Off the back of a stunning inaugural TAB Eureka won by recently retired star mare Encipher, Never Ending makes another important milestone for the race as the first WA-trained runner.
Never Ending is trained by one of WA’s top horsemen Justin Prentice and has raced just 14 times for 12 wins, a second and a third.
His TAB Eureka quest will be an all-WA affair with leviathan owner-breeder Rob Watson using his slot in the race to secure Never Ending.
Champion driver Gary Hall Jr, who has partnered Never Ending in every start, has declared him the second-best pacer he has driven through a stellar 25-year career.
“He’s second only to ‘Quinny’ (Im Themightyquinn) for horses I’ve driven, with the potential to keep closing the gap,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to going away and travelling with this horse when the time is right because I learnt so much through the ‘Quinny’ times.
“He’s got all the makings of being elite, and you think with Justin (Prentice) in his corner, he will keep getting better.”
Never Ending hasn’t raced since getting too fierce in front and making it hard for himself when second in the Group 1 WA Derby at Gloucester Park on November 3.
Prentice said the son of Sweet Lou was close to a racetrack return and he was thrilled to have a TAB Eureka slot locked-in so early.
“It’s great. We hoped it would pan out this way, so we could just focus on the races we’ve got in mind between now and then,” he said.
“He’ll be back around the middle of March and the Bunbury Cup in late March is the first real target. Then there’s a big four-year-old race the week before the Nullarbor (April 19). At this stage the Nullarbor is pencilled in.
“I’m really looking forward to travelling with this horse. I learnt a lot from going to Sydney with Mighty Ronaldo a couple of years ago. I’ll take this bloke across earlier so he can have a good look at the Menangle track.”
Watson, one of the most outspoken supporters of the TAB Eureka since it was just a concept, is thrilled to ensure WA’s first runner in the race.
“It’s great for WA, but fantastic for the race, too. I’d love to see every harness state in Australia have a runner,” he said.
“This is such an important race for the industry and last year was a fantastic start. I’m right behind it.
“I’ve had my sights on Never Ending for a while and it’s great to get the deal done nice and early with such a big and passionate group of owners.
“His record is terrific and for Gary Hall Jr to have such a huge opinion of him speaks volumes because he’s driven some amazing horses.
“Hopefully the whole of WA unites around him and he builds interest for the TAB Eureka.”
PHOTO: Courtesy Pacepix