Stars lining up for remaining TAB Eureka slots

THE battle is hotting up with six slots still available and less than a month until the world’s richest harness race.

Only four of the 10 slots have been confirmed in the $2.1mil TAB Eureka, with a plethora of young talent and their owners pleading their cases for a ticket into the September 6 race at Menangle.

Last year’s runner-up and $3.50 prepost favourite Bay Of Biscay heads those locked-in. He has Rob Watson’s Soho Standardbreds slot. The other “locks” are: Hesitate (John Singleton’s slot), Fighter Command (Tasracing) and Call To Order (Racing Queensland).

Bay Of Biscay’s trainer, Emma Stewart, who won the inaugural 2023 TAB Eureka with star mare Encipher, looks set to have a record three runners this year.

Stable clients Danny and Jo Zavitsanos and the Summit Bloodstock/Aaron Bain Racing team, both have slots to fill.

It will be a shock if both don’t go to Stewart-trained runners with the leading contenders including War Dan Buddy, Fox Dan and Go Miki.

Danny Zavitsanos said: “At this stage, we’ve got Fox Dan slightly in front of War Dan Buddy, but we’re holding off on a final decision until they both have their last lead-up runs in the next week or so.”

Leviathan Queensland owners Kevin and Kay Seymour have finished second in both TAB Eurekas so far, with their own star Leap To Fame in 2023 and when they used their slot on Bay Of Biscay last year.

“We’ll be back to using it on one of our own horses this year,” Kevin Seymour said. “Fate Awaits and Path To Glory are the obvious two options.

“We think both deserve slots, so we’re hoping another slot owner takes one and we’ll take the other.”

So, it really leaves three “X-factor” slots to fill for race sponsor TAB, Cordina Racing and Wayne Loader’s Western Jewel.

Key contenders for the remaining slots include Bathurst pair Royal Cruiser and Our Goat, who both ran well at Albion Park last night, emerging Victorian three-year-old Seathestars, who is owned by champion thoroughbred trainer John Hawkes, Our Luciano, Glitter Aint Gold and Attachment.

Seathestars’ trainer Geoff Webster said he has had “some contact” with potential slot owners since the pacer’s booming Queensland Derby performance on July 19.

Every race is vital now, including Glitter Aint Gold stepping-out in a ho-hum Bathurst race on Wednesday night.

What looks certain is a record number of three-year-old’s in the race, which is restricted to three and four-year-old Australian-bred pacers.

Just two three-year-olds contested the inaugural running and finished seventh (The Lost Storm) and ninth (Captain Hammerhead).

Bay Of Biscay turned the tide when, as the lone three-year-old, he flashed home for a luckless second to Don Hugo last year.

Hesitate is the lone confirmed three-year-old runner, but Fate Awaits, Fox Dan, Go Miki and Path To Greatness are all three are huge chances of landing slots.

Fate Awaits with Grant Dixon - Dan Costello