Captain is a sure thing for the Eureka

Queensland harness racing four-year-old Sure Thing Captain (Captaintreacherous) will fill the TAB slot in next weeks $2.1m TAB Eureka. 

Obviously, the TAB was suitably impressed after the Shannon Price trained Sure Thing Captain outpointed several rival Eureka hopefuls in the Racenet Discovery Stakes at Menangle. 

Adam Sanderson wrested the lead off Dougs Platter with 1800 metres to travel while the $1.55 favorite Captain Hammerhead enjoyed the run of the race in the one out one back trail. 

Sure Thing Captain threw a 26.3 back straight quarter at his rivals before kicking clear on the home turn and the son of Captaintreacherous comfortably staved off all challenges in the home straight scoring by six metres from the Victorian pacer Dangerous. 

Price, who had Speak The Truth in last year’s race, was delighted when she learned Sure Thing Captain had secured a berth in the world’s richest harness race. 

“He’s pulled up very well and we’re very happy to be taking the TAB slot for the Eureka,” Price said.   

“He won convincingly and had a margin in the end, there were some good runs behind him but he did enough to get the slot which is a big relief,” she said. 

 Sanderson said he was pleased with the way the winner settled after working to the lead. 

“He was the complete package tonight and he took advantage of it,” Sanderson said.  

“He has really furnished this prep and I was so proud of him after asking him to come off the gate and for him to come back to me like he did, to finish off as strong as he did I was so proud of him,” he said. 

SURE THING CAPTAIN REPLAY

Sanderson admitted he was keen to turn the race into a staying test with a slick back straight quarter. 

“I knew the ones to beat were behind me and if we could make them work and as hard as possible for them and lucky it paid off,” he said. 

Sanderson is heading into the next week quietly confident that Sure Thing Captain will feature in the finish. 

“He’s the right horse for it and he’ll follow any speed so hopefully we can sit him up next week and show what dazzling speed he’s got,” he said. 

Captain Hammerhead weakened in the home straight and was found to have suffered Atrial Fibrillation and has been stood down for 14 days.

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink