TAB Eureka countdown hots up from today
CRUNCH week for slots in the world’s richest harness race starts today (Tuesday).
Six of the 10 slots still remain in the $2.1mil TAB Eureka, run at Menangle in just 18 days.
Leviathan Queensland owners Kevin and Kay Seymour hope to have two runners – both three-year-olds – and the first of them, Path To Greatness, gets his last chance to impress in the eighth race at Albion Park today.
The feature race winner is a $1.30 favourite from gate six.
Fate Awaits will also have his final lead-up race against his own age at Albion Park on Saturday night.
The Seymours have a slot of their own, but are holding off confirming a runner while they explore interest for a second runner with other remaining slot owners.
Champion pacer Leap To Fame ran second for the Seymours in the inaugural 2023 TAB Eureka and last year they used their slot on Bay Of Biscay, who flashed home for a luckless second.
“We’re desperate to go one better, that’s why we’re holding off as long as we can to settle on our runner. Both horses are good enough to be very competitive, especially with the preferential draws the three-year-olds get,” Kevin Seymour said.
The Emma Stewart-trained Bay Of Biscay, is $3.50 favourite to return and go one better than last year, also has his last lead-up run at Melton on Saturday night.
Stewart and co-trainer Clayton Tonkin opted to keep him at Melton rather than make another trip to Menangle, where he ran a slashing third last start.
It could mean a clash with Jess Tubbs' $5 TAB Eureka second favourite Fighter Command if she elects to race at Melton, too.
Stewart and Tonkin, who won the 2023 TAB Eureka with Encipher, look set to have multiple runners again.
Although Bay Of Biscay, who will run Rob Watson’s Soho Standardbreds slot this time, is their only confirmed runner, they have Fox Dan, War Dan Buddy and Go Miki in serious contention for some of the remaining slots.
Fox Dan and War Dan Buddy won impressively at Melton last weekend and their owners Danny and Jo Zavitsanos will take one of them in their own TAB Eureka slot.
The Summit Bloodstock and Aaron Bain Racing team are sure to use their slot on a Stewart/Tonkin runner, with Go Miki and War Dan Buddy the likely frontrunners.
The most intriguing TAB Eureka lead-up race of the week will be the Discovery Stakes at Menangle on Saturday night.
With so many exciting pacers chasing the last few slots, most of them will clash in the do-or-die Discovery.
The slot owners most likely to wait for the Discovery include Cordina Racing and, possibly, TAB.
Hall of Fame thoroughbred trainer John Hawkes is among those sweating on a slot with his untapped three-year-old Seathestars, a brilliant Menangle winner last Saturday night.
Other pacers like Bernie Hewitt’s pair Royal Cruiser and Our Goat, Jimmy Rattray’s Our Luciano, the much-improved Glitter Aint Gold, along with classy Queensland pair Attachment and French Fries remain right in the mix.
Path To Greatness - Dan Costello