Grant Dixon talks about his three TAB Eureka runners

PREMIER Queensland trainer Grant Dixon has three chances to land his first TAB Eureka win.

For a long time, Dixon lamented only finishing second with his champion pacer Leap To Fame in the inaugural running of the world’s richest race, the $2.1mil TAB Eureka in 2023.

Leap To Fame did all the work outside the leader and highly fancied, Catch A Wave, and had him beaten on the home turn, but couldn’t stave-off a late burst from former superstar mare Encipher.

“Catch A Wave was the main danger that night and I had to put pressure on him, but when was beaten so far from home it left me a sitting shot,” Dixon said.

“Even Encipher only raced one more time after that race and was retired, it just wasn’t meant to be that night.

“Leap To Fame has gone on and won so many big races since, so I’ve moved on from it, but I’d still love to win it (TAB Eureka) this time.”

Dixon returned last year but simply didn’t have the firepower with Free Thinker finishing second-last as a $151 outsider.

It’s a different story at Menangle on Saturday night.

Dixon and his wife, Trista, have three of the 10 starters, headed by three-time Group 1 winner Fate Awaits.

Dixon will take the reins himself on Fate Awaits, a $11 chance from gate three, while fellow Queenslander Adam Sanderson will drive Call To Order ($34) and prominent NSW reinsman Robbie Morris will partner Path To Greatness ($19).

Although the betting says Fate Awaits is clearly Team Dixon’s best chance, Grant isn’t so sure.

“The two three-year-olds are our best chances. I said it before and still think there’s not as much between Fate Awaits and Path To Greatness as most people seem to think,” he said.

“They’re both nice horses and the draws help, but it won’t be easy against the best of the four-year-olds. I was really impressed with the win of Miki To Success last time. He looks like the one to beat.”

Adding to Dixon’s quest to win is the fact his friends and stable mainstays, Kevin and Kay Seymour, own all three of his TAB Eureka runners.

The Seymours have used their own slot on Path To Greatness.

“I’d love to win it for them, they’ve been amazing to Trista and I,” Dixon said. “They’ve finished second in both Eureka’s so far and hopefully we can go one better for them.”

The Queensland flavour on Eureka night runs even deeper with two key chances in the $150,000 Group 1 Len Smith; Chantal Turpin’s The Janitor and Shannon Price’s Sure Thing Captain.

PHOTO: Dan Costello