THE inaugural $2.1mil TAB Eureka picture is starting to take shape.
Harness racing giant Kevin Seymour today confirmed he and his wife Kay had locked-in their own young star, Leap To Fame, to race in their TAB Eureka slot at Menangle on September 2.
It comes just two days before Leap To Fame, last year’s champion three-year-old and triple Derby winner, returns to racing after a lengthy spell at Albion Park on Saturday night.
We now know half of the 10-horse slot race field will look for the TAB Eureka.
Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave will race for the Cordina Racing slot and brilliant four-year-old Captain Ravishing has been locked in by Danny and Jo Zavitsanos’ “Team Zav”.
Racing Queensland’s slot will go to the winner of the inaugural The Hayden, a race restricted to Qbred three and four-year-old pacers, at Albion Park on July 15.
Similarly, Tasracing will conduct a race for pacers either Tasbred or wholly owned in Tasmania on August 5 or 6. That winner will progress to the TAB Eureka.
Leap To Fame’s racing in the Seymour’s slot has been expected since Racing Queensland opted to use The Hayden to fill its slot.
“We just wanted to make sure he came back from his spell in great order before locking things away,” Seymour said.
“I think everyone expected us to take him and why wouldn’t we. After 55 years in the sport, he is up with the very best Kay (Seymour) and I have been associated with and that includes Mr Feelgood.
“I’m 83 years of age and we’re in our twilight years, what a way to finish our involvement in the game with a horse as good as Leap To Fame.
“All credit goes to Grant (Dixon), who picked him out at the sales, reared him and trains him. Grant’s excitement and ambition with the horse is as big as mine.”
Leap To Fame hasn’t raced since winning the Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge final at Menangle on October 29. It iced a season where he raced 12 times for nine wins, two seconds, a third and banked $451,231.
Those wins included the big NSW, Queensland and Victoria Derby treble. He became the first pacer to win all three since Captain Joy in 2009.
“He looks to have come back bigger and stronger,” trainer-driver Grant Dixon said.
“The plan is for him to have him fully wound-up for the Rising Sun (July 8), so he’ll have three or four runs before then.
“From the Rising Sun, we’ve got the Blacks A Fake (July 22) and then it’s all about having him primed again for the TAB Eureka.”
The TAB Eureka is shaping as Australia’s race of the year with glamour trio Leap To Fame, Catch A Wave and Captain Ravishing now confirmed. It will be the first time the three have met in a race.
Additionally, last season’s star two-year-old The Lost Storm, trained by Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin, is being hotly sought-after by slot holders.
My Ultimate Ronnie, Major Delight, Petracca and the NZ-trained Beckham are other pacers strongly on the radar.
The slot holders yet to declare their hand are John Singleton, TAB, Summit Bloodstock/Aaron Bain Racing, Western Jewel (Wayne Loader) and Soho Standardbreds (Rob Watson).
The latest market has Catch A Wave favourite at $3 from Leap To Fame ($3.50), Captain Ravishing ($4.50) and The Lost Storm ($9).
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