World’s richest harness race starting to take shape

The world’s richest harness racing event is starting to take shape.

With three slots already filled and some of the key contenders racing or close to returning, ADAM HAMILTON has built his first power rankings for the $2.1million 2024 TAB Eureka at Club Menangle on September 7.

Surprisingly, early favourite and Hamilton’s top seed, Frankie Ferocious (Captaintreacherous), is yet to snare a slot. Surely, it’s just around the corner.

The Queensland-owned gelding built a terrific record in his home state before being transferred to Jason Grimson. In four runs for Grimson, he’s snared three wins and a fantastic fourth in the Miracle Mile.

Frankie Ferocious won the Group 1 4YO Bonanza on debut for Grimson on February 3 and added the Group 1 Chariots Of Fire at Menangle on March 2.

He hasn’t raced since drawing awfully and running a fantastic race behind Leap To Fame in the Miracle Mile on March 9.

Like all Grimson’s stable stars, Frankie Ferocious is headed to Queensland in coming weeks where the $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun at Albion Park on July 13 will be his major target.

Breathing down his neck is the rapidly emerging Extreme Sea, who made it six wins from just nine starts with yet another runaway win in the $100,000 NSW Regional Metropolitan final at Menangle last Saturday night.

He’s a real TAB Eureka contender on the rise after consecutive 25m-plus wins at Menangle.

1. FRANKIE FEROCIOUS (Captaintreacherous): Explosive pacer and still largely untapped. That Miracle Mile run showed he is up with the very best. Only has to return in the same sort of form to be a deserved favourite.
2. NEVER ENDING (Sweet Lou): Got his slot with Soho Standardbreds. Love this big, raw fella. Would have gone close to winning the Gp1 Nullarbor had he found room when it mattered. Still learning, but should be primed by TAB Eureka time and the big Menangle track will suit.
3. EXTREME SEA (Well Said): Locked into the Wayne Loader slot and it’s shaping as an astute early play. Watching him win his past couple at Menangle by more than 25m both times has been a thing of beauty. And he’ll be a hot favourite to do it again this Saturday night in the $100,000 overall final of the TAB NSW Regional series.
4. THE LOST STORM (Captaintreacherous): Didn’t deliver in last year’s race as a 3YO and sparingly raced since. There’s no doubting his talent, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does with some regular racing through the Queensland winter, which is headed by a clash with Frankie Ferocious and others in the Rising Sun.
5. FOR REAL LIFE (For A Reason): Lightly raced and very exciting Queenslander with 13 wins from just 24 starts. They won five on end before a Menangle raid but galloped out and took no part in a Chariots Of Fire qualifier. Scratched from Albion Park last Saturday night, but only with a slight temperature.
6. PETRACCA (Captaintreacherous): One of at least three major contenders for Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin. Victoria Derby winner with 11 wins from just 14 starts. Being specifically set for this, along with stablemate High Above.
7. CAPTAINS KNOCK (Captaintreacherous): Landed the early Cordina Racing slot. Proven class performer with more seasoning than many of his key rivals. Good third in the Chariots Of Fire and it’ll be great to see what he does in Queensland in coming weeks.
8. HIGH ABOVE (Captaintreacherous): The X-factor and another Emma Stewart/Clayton Tonkin contender. Half-brother to the freakishly talented Ride High. Only raced four times for three wins and not since scoring at Ballarat in August, last year. Held in huge regard by stable.
9. DOUGS PLATTER (Betterthancheddar): Former talented Victorian now with Kevin Pizzuto in NSW. Luckless in his first two runs for the new barn and then won three on the trot. Oozes has potential but will need to keep going to the next level.
10. SURE THING CAPTAIN (Captaintreacherous): Queenslander who the TAB Eureka “consolation” – The Stockade – last year. Only raced three times since, including a seventh in the Chariots. Has the talent if he can build through the upcoming Queensland Constellations.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Australia