BAY Of Biscay’s Chariots Of Fire win tonight carried an added bonus.
Just moments after winning Australasia’s premier four-year-old race, the star four-year-old became the first confirmed runner for the world’s richest harness race, the $2.1mil TAB Eureka, at Menangle on September 6.
It gives Bay Of Biscay the chance to avenge his luckless second to subsequent Inter Dominion winner Don Hugo in the race last year.
Leviathan WA owner-breeder Rob Watson confirmed he had used his Soho Standardbreds slot to secure the Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin-trained Bay Of Biscay.
It is a surprise twist given another giant of the sport, Kevin Seymour, used his slot with Bay Of Biscay last year and had first option again this year.
“Kevin’s been great to deal with. He did have first option again this year, but was straight-up and told he had a couple of horses of his own he would focus on instead,” Bay Of Biscay’s managing owner Tim Bunning said.
“We think we’ve got the horse to beat in the TAB Eureka at the moment and we wanted to lock away a slot early to take all the stress out of it.”
Bunning said he fellow owners, including Alabar Farms, had reached out to a number of slot owners to gauge interest over the past two weeks.
“Interest was strong and Rob (Watson) was the first to come back and agree to a deal we think is very fair for both sides,” he said.
Watson was delighted to land such a proven star for his slot.
“I was surprised to get a call. I didn’t think a horse like Bay Of Biscay, who would start favourite if the race was run tomorrow, would be available,” he said.
“I hadn’t planned to go so early with my slot runner, but it was a good offer and he’s a great horse to grab.”
Bay Of Biscay, trained by Victorian powerhouse Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin, has raced just 21 times for 10 wins, eight placings and banked $821,580.
Along with his second in last season’s TAB Eureka, Bay Of Biscay also ran second in the NSW and Queensland Derbys, along with the Breeders Crown final.
Stewart and Tonkin have been the dominant force in the two-year history of the TAB Eureka, winning with star mare Encipher in 2023 and finishing second with Bay Of Biscay last year.
