Free Thinker gains a Eureka berth

Trista Dixon stole the early harness racing spotlight from her husband Grant at Albion tonight when she and Free Thinker (Hurrikane Kingcole) won their way into the TAB Eureka after taking out the $207,000 Group 2 The Hayden.

Dixon tracked through from her second row draw landing in the one out one back trail on the back of the highly touted For Real Life before pulling out to stake her claim with 600 metres to travel.

Free Thinker ($3.70) sustained the long run and had sufficient in reserve to hold off Regazzo Di Tilly by half a head in a mille rate of 1:53.1.

Free Thinker has been racing consistently without winning in recent weeks.

“He has been racing really well and it was such a deserved win tonight, he had to win to book the spot and he’s done us proud,” Dixon said.

Dixon conceded she had second thoughts after pulling out three wide down the back. 

“I thought I may have gone a bit early but it played out in the end, he’s such a strong stayer and if they dashed down the back I knew I had to be out and running,” she said.

Dixon believes the son of Hurrikane Kingcole will prove more than competitive in the world’s richest harness race at Menangle in September. 

“He just doesn’t give up and he just keeps trying,” she said. 

“We always like him and have had a good opinion of him and he won’t disgrace himself, he’ll go well.”

The win provided slot holder Team Zav with a more than capable second hand in the TAB Eureka teaming up with Queensland’s representative.

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink