Eureka update

TAB Eureka favourite Leap To Fame was due at Robbie Morris’ harness racing stables next to Menangle last night (Sunday Aug 27).

Trainer-driver Grant Dixon said the pacing sensation had enjoyed “a really good week” at home.

“He won’t need any really serious work here, it’s more about just keeping him ticking over until the race now,” he said.

“We feel like we’ve got him where we want him at home and just need to keep him at that level.”

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MIRACLE Mile winner Catch A Wave (Captaintreacherous) will cap his TAB Eureka preparation with a Melton trial on Tuesday.

Trainer Andy Gath admits training the four-year-old has been “a bit different” this campaign after he flourished and grew considerably during his latest spell.

“There’s no doubt he’s a much bigger and stronger horse, and hopefully that’s a plus, but it hasn’t just been a case of training him how we did earlier this year,” he said.

“I think we’ve got him where he needs to be, and he worked really well at home on Saturday. He sat off Outlaw Man and came around him to win, pulling away by 10-15m.”

“With the trial on Tuesday, he should be right where we want him to head to Sydney the next day. I guess we won’t know until Saturday night if we’ve got it exactly right with him.”

Gath is hoping for a good draw to give him options in Saturday night’s $2.1mil race.

“We know he’s got plenty of gate speed, but so too have a few others. Even though it’s 2400m, you still want the best possible draw,” he said.

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THE TAB Eureka barrier “reveal” is at 9am Wednesday in Sydney’s Circular Quay.

So, how will it work?

The draws will actually have been done in the strictest of confidence at Harness Racing NSW and then revealed subsequently in a predetermined order at the event.

A few things:

• The four emergencies will be drawn in the field
• All four three-year-olds (including emergencies Naturally Gifted and Don Hugo) will occupy the first four barriers.
• Then comes the lone mare in the race, Encipher
• The remainder of the runners (including the four-year-old emergencies Tims A Trooper and Heza Son Of Agun) will have their barriers revealed.

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LONG-time TAB Eureka favourite Captain Ravishing (Captaintreacherous) will have his final hit out for the race at Menangle tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.

Trainer Ahmed Taiba was much happier with a 2400m workout on Saturday than he was with a trial at Menangle three days earlier.

“I think we’re back on track,” he said. “We’ll try and find two mates for him to work and see if we can get him behind the starting gate on Tuesday for that last workout.”

Captain Ravishing  has certainly had the most radical preparation, going into the 2400m race first-up for six months.

His last start was a seventh in the Miracle Mile on March 4.

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STABLEMATES The Lost Storm (Captaintreacherous) and Encipher (Captaintreacherous) are right on target for their TAB Eureka assaults, according to co-trainer Emma Stewart.

The pair worked separately at Ballarat last Friday morning and Stewart was particularly pleased.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything more from them both,” she said.

“Encipher went solidly all the way and felt strong at the finish.

“The best thing about The Lost Storm was the fact he really ran through the line, which was much better than his last start.

“We’re expecting both of them to run really well on Saturday.”

Stewart said the pair would be floated to Sydney on Wednesday.

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EMERGING Queensland star Speak The Truth (Bettor’s Delight) is likely to head to Sydney on Wednesday.

“We’re waiting to hear what day and time we need to be in the retention barn, but presuming it’s Thursday we will head down Wednesday,” trainer Shannon Price said.

“I’m really happy with him. He worked well on Saturday.”

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THE lone Tasmanian runner, Magician (Sweet Lou), was widely expected to be just making up the numbers in the TAB Eureka.

But those who watched the “Captain Ravishing” trial at Menangle last Wednesday were really taken by Magician’s run.

The Todd Rattray-trained four-year-old ran some mean sectional times on his way to finishing third behind talented open-class performers Taipo and Petes Said So.

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THE TAB Eureka will certainly take centre stage, but the $150,000 Group 1 Len Smith will be a ripper side dish at Menangle on Saturday night.

Victorian big guns Rock N Roll Doo, Mach Dan, Better Eclipse and Hurricane Harley are all making the trip north.

While high-class NSW pacers South Coast Arden and Spirit Of St Louis, who returned to form at Menangle last Saturday night, are other major players.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness racing Australia