TAB Eureka spotlight on SA Cup
GLOBE Derby has become an unexpected “must watch” space for remaining slot owners looking for a horse to fly their flag in the world’s richest pacing race, the $1.5 million TAB Eureka.
Only two of the 10 slots have been filled and four-year-old stars The Last Trip and Forty Love strongly pushed their cases with fantastic wins in their heats of the SA Pacing Cup last night.
The classy Victorian pair look the standouts for next week’s boosted $100,000 final.
The Last Trip was first out and rekindled memories of the SA’s all-time greatest winner Smoken Up when he simply outstayed his rivals in a powerhouse display.
Despite sitting outside his in-form main danger Springfield Affair, The Last Trip had him beaten in the big straight for driver Taylor Ford and smashed the track record with a 1min55.5sec mile rate for the long 2645m trip in his 8.6m win.
It was his eighth win from just 12 starts, but more importantly his sixth from just seven starts since joining the all-conquering Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin stable.
Managing owner Ben Said has openly declared his want to land a TAB Eureka slot for the November 21 race at Menangle.
“Hopefully they all saw that win. He’s special, this horse and he’s doing the talking for himself now,” he said.
Forty Love looked like the class factor in heat two and trainer-driver Aaron Dunn drove him accordingly.
Content to balance up early from the back row, Dunn then cut Forty Love loose with a move around the field to take the lead with two laps to run.
The son of Downbytheseaside dashed away to win by 11.7m in a 1min56.3sec mile rate.
Forty Love has competed at the top level for the past three years and his past few runs show how well he has transitioned into open-class racing.
Despite winning just four of his 19 starts this season, he is emerging as one of Victoria’s best pacers.
The Victorian dominance in the SA Cup heats continued when the Sam Barker-trained Ultimate Vinnie led throughout to win the third heat in good style.
In other TAB Eureka watch races, Bettor Beach was stunning winning the Group 1 Victoria Oaks and looks a three-year-old filly seriously worthy of a slot.
Her stablemate Cigano looked every bit a star on the rise with his stunning winning in the free-for-all at Melton.
Cigano’s 1min52.8sec mile rate for 2240m was just 0.2sec slower than Captains Mistress ran in the Victoria Cup.
At Albion Park, multiple Group 1 winner Fate Awaits showed why he is Kevin Seymour’s logical slot choice with a fantastic win in the Junior free-for-all.
The 2024 Rising Sun winner did all the work in a scorching 1min51.6sec mile rate for 1660m to make it four wins from his past five starts and 16 from 39 lifetime starts.
PHOTO: Stuart McCormick
The Last Trip