TAB Eureka jigsaw coming together
DEFENDING champion driver Luke McCarthy is the last remaining piece in the $2.1mil TAB Eureka jigsaw puzzle.
The last two of the 10 slots were filled by untapped Victorian four-year-old High Above and emerging Queenslander Sure Thing Captain yesterday.
Eight of the 10 drivers are locked-in, but McCarthy has a big choice to make between his two runners – Eye Keep Smiling and Don Hugo – as to which one he drives.
“I’ll wait until the barrier draw (Monday),” he said. “We know Eye Keep Smiling has to draw well being a mare under the preferential draw, but I’m keen to see where Don Hugo lands before I settle on my drive.
“There’s not much between my two and I couldn’t be happier with both of them. Jack Callaghan would be the front-runner for the one I don’t drive, but I’ll have to discuss that with the owners.”
McCarthy landed a late pick-up drive on Emma Stewart’s star mare Encipher to win last year’s inaugural TAB Eureka.
Stewart will have a record three TAB Eureka runners this year after the lightly raced but very exciting High Above landed the second-last slot, that of Aaron Bain Racing & Summit Bloodstock.
“Teaming with Encipher to win the TAB Eureka with our slot last year was just the most amazing thrills in the game and we think we’ve got a chance again with a really exciting pacer on the rise at the right time,” Summit’s Jamie Durnberger-Smith said.
The final slot went to Queenslander Sure Thing Captain, who won the consolation of last year’s TAB Eureka (The Stockade) when a raw three-year-old.
His all-the-way win in last night’s (Saturday) Racenet Discovery Stakes landed him the TAB slot.
“He’s so much better a year down the track,” trainer Shannon Price said. “It’s been a race against time to get him here after a few hiccups, but he’s right where we want him now.
“It’s great to get in and I’m sure he’ll be better again next week. He’s got a terrific turn of speed if we get the chance to drive him that way and he’ll follow any speed.”
Sure Thing Captain firmed from $16 to $5.50 for the TAB Eureka after securing a start. Boom WA pacer Never Ending is a commanding $2.60 favourite.
Stewart admitted confirming drivers for her three runners was a juggle because the TAB Eureka meeting clashes with the big Vicbred semi-finals meeting at Melton.
“It’s made it difficult,” she said. “But Kerryn (Manning) will stay on High Above, we’d already committed to Ashleigh (Delosa) for Major Delight and Cam Hart will drive Bay Of Biscay.”
It means Stewart’s stable driver Mark Pitt will stay at Melton rather than drive in the TAB Eureka.
The barrier draw is at 11.30am tomorrow (Monday).
FINAL TAB EUREKA FIELD: Never Ending (Slot: Soho Standardbreds), Captains Knock (Cordina Racing), Eye Keep Smiling (Western Jewel), Fighter Command (Tasracing), Bay Of Biscay (Kevin & Kay Seymour), Major Delight (Team Zav), Don Hugo (John Singleton), Free Thinker (Racing Qld), High Above (Aaron Bain Racing & Summit Bloodstock) and Sure Thing Captain (TAB).
Emergencies: Dangerous, Wisper A Secret, Dougs Platter and Regazzo Di Tilly
High Above with driver Kerryn Manning
Pic, Stuart McCormick