Stewart sets her sights on The Eureka again

Defending champions Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin could have at least two harness racing runners in this year’s $2.1mil TAB Eureka.

The powerhouse couple had two runners last year with four-year-old mare Encipher (Captaintreacherous) winning and three-year-old The Lost Storm finishing seventh.

The Lost Storm is being prepared for another tilt at the world’s richest harness race, while Victoria Derby winner Petracca is also on the TAB Eureka path.

Petracca has a guaranteed slot should his owners Danny and Jo Zavitsanos wish to use their TAB Eureka slot on the four-year-old, who boasts 11 wins from just 14 starts and $310,178 in prize money.

“That’s the way we are leaning at the moment, to go with one of our horses, and Petracca is the front-runner,” Danny Zavitsanos said. “He’s not that far away from getting back to the races.”

“Team Zav” partnered with headline pacer Captain Ravishing last year and landed third spot.

Petracca, who hasn’t raced since winning the Victoria Derby at Melton on October 14, is on the third line of TAB Eureka betting at $7.

The Lost Storm, raced by Justin Baker, ran in the TAB slot last year and talks are believed to be underway to renew the partnership for this year’s race at Menangle on September 7.

The son of Captaintreacherous has only raced four times since last year’s Eureka. His latest run was a win in the Melton Plate on March 16.

“It’s hard to find suitable races for him,” Baker said.

“He’s ready to go when we do. He’ll go to Queensland for the Rising Sun and then we’ll switch focus to the Eureka.”

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Australia