TAB Eureka Shock

LONG-TIME TAB Eureka favourite Frankie Ferocious is out of the $2.1mil feature.

Trainer Jason Grimson today confirmed the Chariots Of Fire winner, who had not fired in three Queensland runs this campaign, has suffered a setback.

“He’s out of the TAB Eureka and will have throat surgery,” he said.

While it’s a huge disappointment to Frankie Ferocious’ Queensland connections, it opens another slot in the world’s richest harness race.

Frankie Ferocious was one of the first confirmed runners when TAB took him in its slot.

It now means three of the 10 slots in the TAB Eureka are open. The others being Team Zav (Danny and Jo Zavitsanos) and Kevin and Kay Seymour.

It also adds huge interest to how leading slot contenders like Major Delight, Petracca, Dougs Platter and Dangerous perform this weekend at the Menangle and Melton meetings.

That’s not a concern to trainer Justin Prentice, who can’t wait to arrive in Sydney tomorrow with TAB Eureka favourite Never Ending.

Prentice and his stable star completed the first and biggest leg of their trip when they flew from Perth to Melbourne on Tuesday night.

“We decided to break the trip up a bit and have a couple of days at Nathan Jack’s place (in Shepparton) before the road trip to Sydney,” Prentice said.

“It’s a good way of doing it, but it’ll still be good when we can get to Sydney and get into a new routine.”

Prentice said Never Ending, who boasts 16 wins from just 21 starts, handled the trip well.

“It’s his first trip away from home. It’s taking a bit to settle in, but he’s better day two and than day one,” he said.

“We only got to Nathan’s at 4am Wednesday. I’ll give him a jog today to stretch his legs.”

Never Ending will have a lead-up race over 2300m at Menangle on August 24 with the $2.1mil TAB Eureka two weeks later (September 7).

“If he settles well in Sydney, I’ll look to take him into Menangle for a look at the track a week before that first race,” Prentice said.

“I’m really looking forward to getting him around Menangle. I think he’s a horse who will really like the spacious track, especially the long straights.

“I brought Mighty Ronaldo over a couple of years ago and he loved it. Everything about Never Ending tells me he’ll like it just as much, if not more.”

Prentice said Never Ending’s TAB Eureka preparation couldn’t have gone better so far.

“So far, so good,” he said. “He’s had the three runs and they’ve all been educational. Being able to drive him differently in that second race, making the midrace move, was an important step.

“While it’ll be good to get Junior (Gary Hall Jr) back driving him, there’s been a benefit in me driving him these past few runs to get a feel where he’s at.

“His manners, steering and performances have been terrific.”