Pacing star lining up for The Eureka

The first two TAB Eureka’s are tough acts to follow, but this year is already building strongly.

So far there is just the one harness racing slot confirmed with Bay Of Biscay (Somebeachsomewhere) locked in with Rob Watson’s Soho Standardbreds.

But it looks a formality that NSW Derby winner Always Hot, the most exciting young pacer in the land, will land one of the slots closely connected to the Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin stable.

Both Bay Of Biscay and Always Hot returned to work this week after short breaks following their respective Chariots Of Fire and NSW Derby wins in Menangle earlier this month.

Bay Of Biscay this week became the first pacer invited to contest the Group 1 Rising Sun at Albion Park on July 5.

Always Hot is also being set for a Queensland winter campaign. The Queensland Derby is his main target, but he could also tackle the Rising Sun.

Tonkin and Stewart, who won the inaugural 2023 TAB Eureka with Encipher and had Bay Of Biscay finish second last year, look set to have three or four runners this year.

One of their most interesting contenders is outstanding four-year-old mare Very Pretty, who boasts eight wins from nine starts.

“She’s close to returning, only about two weeks away from a trial,” Stewart said.

“The big mares’ race (Ladyship Mile) will come around too quickly, so Brisbane will be her first focus and then we’ll look towards the Eureka with her.”

Best Deal, Some American, Miki To Success and War Dan Buddy are other possible TAB Eureka contenders for Stewart and Tonkin.

Timmy Rictor, a pacer they used to train, has emerged as another key TAB Eureka player with two sparkling wins on the comeback trail for new trainer Jason Grimson.

The latest was a blazing 1min49.2sec win in the Club Menangle Autumn Gift final last Saturday night.

The $100,000 Riverina Championships Final at Wagga on April 19 is the next big target.

The TAB Eureka focus will also be on the huge Bathurst meeting on Saturday night when the exciting Its Confidential tackles the $100,000 Group 2 Gold Chalice final for three-year-old colts and geldings.

The Russell Jack-trained son of Poster Boy boasts eight wins from just 10 starts, including four wins from as many starts this campaign.

The TAB Eureka has quickly proven a launching pad for megastars.

The past two Inter Dominion and Miracle Mile – Leap To Fame and Don Hugo – winners have come through the TAB Eureka.

While other stars like Catch A Wave and Bay Of Biscay have quickly gone on to other major successes.

by Adam Hamilton, for The Eureka