Latest news with #TABEureka
News.com.au
14 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Greg Sugars' ‘project' horse, Fighter Command, set for 2025 Eureka redemption
Emerging pacer Fighter Command is the strongest lasting equine legacy to Greg Sugars. Before Sugars, who was just 40 and at the peak of powers, passed suddenly on April 26, Fighter Command was his project. A big, raw and highly-gifted gelding with the potential to be a star of the sport. Sugars knew and would tell his close mate, James Herbertson. 'Hes From Heaven and Fighter Command were the same age and came up together. I've always loved Hes From Heaven, but Greg kept telling me Fighter Command was better,' he said. 'We'd still be arguing about it now if he was here.' • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Sugars' wife, Jess Tubbs, trains Fighter Command but it is Herbertson who has 'inherited' the driving since Sugars' devastating and unexplained passing. Together, they head to Hobart on Saturday night with Fighter Command, chasing a golden ticket into the world's richest harness race, the $2.1 million TAB Eureka at Menangle on September 6. Sugars will be in the front of their minds. It was Sugars who took the reins 12 months ago at Hobart when Fighter Command won the $80,000 Beautide and snared the resultant Tasracing slot into the TAB Eureka. FIGHTER COMMAND is Eureka bound!! Taking out The Beautide at Hobart tonight the Jess Tubbs trained and Greg Sugars driven gelding is into the worlds richest race on September 7!🤩 — NSWSOA (@NSWStandardbred) August 3, 2024 Excitement turned to heartbreak a few weeks later and just days out from the TAB Eureka when Fighter Command was struck down with a twisted bowel and spent days fighting for his life. His TAB Eureka dream was over and it would be six months before he made it back to the racetrack. Fighter Command has raced eight times on the comeback trail for two wins, a second, a third and two fourths. Tubbs has given him a deliberately slow and meticulous build-up with redemption in mind. 'He's still a big baby and learning, but the motor is there,' Herbertson said. 'Jess has done a great job with him and we've seen progress this campaign. A few starts back there was a scrimmage and he had to duck and weave through them, something he'd have galloped for a year ago. 'But he's still a work in progress. He's not quite there mentally yet. 'It's as much knowing when to switch on and off. Sometimes he'll be keen on the (starting) gate, others he won't want to be there. Then he'll switch off at a stage of the race you want him focused and raring to go. 'It's all those one per-centres he needs to get right if he's going to be the horse Greg thought he could be.' The two biggest guns of the world's richest harness race, Bay Of Biscay and Fighter Command, will head interstate to step-up their preparations on Saturday night. Story: @AdamHSport ðŸ'‡ — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) July 29, 2025 Quirks aside, Fighter Command should win the Beautide. 'I spoke to Mitch Ford (local driver) and he said he should beat the Tassie horses by a fair way,' Herbertson said. 'I guess he did beat them easily last year and he's got his act together a lot more since then. 'But the Eureka will be a different story. It's not far away and it's a race where he'll need to get it all together. 'Bay Of Biscay is the (Eureka) favourite. I'd say this guy has as much talent, but Bay Of Biscay has more manners and is more versatile right now.'
The Australian
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Eureka favourites take next step on path to showdown
The two biggest guns of the world's richest harness race, Bay Of Biscay and Fighter Command, will head interstate to step-up their preparations on Saturday night. The Victorian-trained pair head the betting – at $3.50 and $5 respectively – for the $2.1 million TAB Eureka, which is just five weeks away at Menangle on September 6. Bay Of Biscay was nominated to race at Melton and Menangle, but co-trainer Emma Stewart confirmed the Chariots Of Fire winner would head interstate for the Sydney race. The prospect of a 2300m race at Menangle – the same track and distance as the TAB Eureka – was more attractive than a 1720m sprint with less prize money at Melton. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Bay Of Biscay, who flashed home for a luckless second to subsequent Miracle Mile and Inter Dominion winner Don Hugo in last year's TAB Eureka, will become the first pacer to tackle the race twice. The TAB Eureka is restricted to three and four-year-old Australian-bred pacers. Connections have focused everything on this year's TAB Eureka and snared an early slot through WA breeding giant Rob Watson's Soho Standardbreds. The Bay Of Biscay team even declined an invitation to run in the $1 million Miracle Mile in March, which came after winning the Chariots Of Fire a week earlier. 'If all goes well, we'll have a go at the Miracle Mile next year, but we want to win the TAB Eureka first,' managing owner Tim Bunning said at the time. Bay Of Biscay, who boasts 11 wins and seven seconds from just 22 starts, has only raced once since his Chariots Of Fire win on March 1. That was for a narrow win, albeit in slick time, at Melton on June 28. He was set for the $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun at Albion Park earlier this month, but plans were aborted when a suitable flight could not be arranged. Top young driver Cam Hart, who has been aboard for Bay Of Biscay's past three runs and is locked in for the TAB Eureka, will take the reins again this week. Fighter Command will head in a different direction for the $80,000 Beautide in Hobart on Saturday night. The Jess Tubbs-trained four-year-old won the Beautide last year, which carries with it a golden ticket into the TAB Eureka through the Tasracing slot. Tubbs described the race as the 'first step towards redemption' after Fighter Command almost died after he was struck down with a twisted bowel and scratched just days out from last year's TAB Eureka. 'We've slowly and steadily built him back-up again and with everything focused on this race (the Beautide),' Tubbs said. 'After what happened last year, we haven't looked beyond this week, but hopefully he wins and we can. 'Herbie (Australia's premier driver James Herbertson) is locked in for Hobart, so we're set to go.' Fighter Command wins last year's Beautide. Picture: Eliza Howlett Fighter Command had almost six months away from the track after the twisted bowel, but he returned with eight starts for two wins, a second, a third and two fourths. So far only Bay Of Biscay (Soho Standardbreds) and Hesitate (John Singleton), are confirmed runners in the TAB Eureka. • Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
2025 TAB Eureka favourites Bay Of Biscay, Fighter Command step-up preparation for showdown
The two biggest guns of the world's richest harness race, Bay Of Biscay and Fighter Command, will head interstate to step-up their preparations on Saturday night. The Victorian-trained pair head the betting – at $3.50 and $5 respectively – for the $2.1 million TAB Eureka, which is just five weeks away at Menangle on September 6. Bay Of Biscay was nominated to race at Melton and Menangle, but co-trainer Emma Stewart confirmed the Chariots Of Fire winner would head interstate for the Sydney race. The prospect of a 2300m race at Menangle – the same track and distance as the TAB Eureka – was more attractive than a 1720m sprint with less prize money at Melton. Bay Of Biscay, who flashed home for a luckless second to subsequent Miracle Mile and Inter Dominion winner Don Hugo in last year's TAB Eureka, will become the first pacer to tackle the race twice. The TAB Eureka is restricted to three and four-year-old Australian-bred pacers. Connections have focused everything on this year's TAB Eureka and snared an early slot through WA breeding giant Rob Watson's Soho Standardbreds. The Bay Of Biscay team even declined an invitation to run in the $1 million Miracle Mile in March, which came after winning the Chariots Of Fire a week earlier. 'If all goes well, we'll have a go at the Miracle Mile next year, but we want to win the TAB Eureka first,' managing owner Tim Bunning said at the time. Bay Of Biscay is the 2025 Group 1 Cordina Chicken Farms Chariots of Fire champion for Emma Stewart and Cam Hart.ðŸ�†ðŸ'¥ The son of Somebeachsomewhere USA out of Nike Franco NZ recorded a mile of 1.49.1 with Charge Ahead and Major Hot NZ filling the minor placings. #ClubMenangle — Club Menangle (@ClubMenangle) March 1, 2025 Bay Of Biscay, who boasts 11 wins and seven seconds from just 22 starts, has only raced once since his Chariots Of Fire win on March 1. That was for a narrow win, albeit in slick time, at Melton on June 28. He was set for the $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun at Albion Park earlier this month, but plans were aborted when a suitable flight could not be arranged. Top young driver Cam Hart, who has been aboard for Bay Of Biscay's past three runs and is locked in for the TAB Eureka, will take the reins again this week. Fighter Command will head in a different direction for the $80,000 Beautide in Hobart on Saturday night. The Jess Tubbs-trained four-year-old won the Beautide last year, which carries with it a golden ticket into the TAB Eureka through the Tasracing slot. FIGHTER COMMAND is Eureka bound!! Taking out The Beautide at Hobart tonight the Jess Tubbs trained and Greg Sugars driven gelding is into the worlds richest race on September 7!🤩 — NSWSOA (@NSWStandardbred) August 3, 2024 Tubbs described the race as the 'first step towards redemption' after Fighter Command almost died after he was struck down with a twisted bowel and scratched just days out from last year's TAB Eureka. 'We've slowly and steadily built him back-up again and with everything focused on this race (the Beautide),' Tubbs said. 'After what happened last year, we haven't looked beyond this week, but hopefully he wins and we can. 'Herbie (Australia's premier driver James Herbertson) is locked in for Hobart, so we're set to go.' Fighter Command had almost six months away from the track after the twisted bowel, but he returned with eight starts for two wins, a second, a third and two fourths. So far only Bay Of Biscay (Soho Standardbreds) and Hesitate (John Singleton), are confirmed runners in the TAB Eureka.
News.com.au
22-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
John Singleton selects Hesitate to run in his slot in 2025 TAB Eureka at Menangle
John Singleton has pinned his hopes on exciting three-year-old Hesitate to give him back-to-back wins in the world's richest harness race. Hesitate, part-owned and formerly trained in Victoria by Damien Burns and Scott Petrie, was confirmed in Singleton's $2.1 million TAB Eureka slot today. It came after Hesitate ran a terrific second to star Kiwi pacer Rubira in last Saturday night's Group 1 Queensland Derby at Albion Park. Insiders say there was strong competition from a rival slot owner to secure Hesitate. Singleton teamed with champion trainer-driver Luke McCarthy to win last year's TAB Eureka with subsequent Inter Dominion and Miracle Mile winner Don Hugo. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'Our team think Hesitate is a horse on the up at the right time and that it's a year where the three-year-olds can win the TAB Eureka,' Singleton said. 'Bay Of Biscay got close last year and the belief is this three-year-old crop is even stronger than last year. 'It was exciting to win the race (TAB Eureka) in just its second year last year and we would love to go back and do it again.' The TAB Eureka is restricted to three and four-year-old Australian-bred pacers, but a three-year-old is yet to win it. RUBIRA TOO STRONG! ðŸ'° The @AllStarsRacing_ pacer takes out the @ladbrokescomau Queensland Derby! Driver Adam Sanderson makes it back-to-back Derby’s in the bike - the first ever to do so! ðŸ'¥ #QLDisRacing — RaceQ (@RaceQLD) July 19, 2025 The Emma Stewart-trained Bay Of Biscay came closest last year when he flew home late for second to Don Hugo. For McCarthy, Hesitate securing a slot gives him the chance to remain unbeaten in the TAB Eureka. He drove the Emma Stewart-trained Encipher to win in 2023 and won with Don Hugo last year. Hesitate has raced just 23 times for 11 wins and five seconds. He ran second to exciting Kiwi pacer Rubira in last Saturday night's Group 1 Queensland Derby at Albion Park. 'I'm thrilled this horse (Hesitate) is in. I never doubted he'd get a slot, he's so good, but it's great to have it confirmed so we can just focus on the best pathway to the race now rather than having to prove anything to anyone,' McCarthy said. 'He's a genuine winning chance in a race like the TAB Eureka. He's got so much speed and the preferential draws the three-year-olds get is a big factor. 'He'll have a few easy days after the Derby run and then we'll have a look for the most suitable lead-up races between now and the Eureka. He'll be an even better horse by then than he is now.' Hesitate's managing owner Mick Harvey added: 'We were already well advanced in talks with Singo's team and they obviously liked what they saw in the Derby. 'Luke's got a huge opinion of this horse and each run is a learning curve. He should be right where we want home by TAB Eureka night. 'As many have said, there's a bit of a question mark on the depth of the four-year-olds this year, while we know this is a really strong batch of three-year-olds and Hesitate is clearly one of the best of them. 'It's also super exciting to team with somebody like Singo, who has done so much for racing and been a huge supporter of the TAB Eureka from day one.'
News.com.au
21-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Hall Of Fame trainer John Hawkes hopes to have runners in the biggest slot races of both equine codes
Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes hopes to have runners in the biggest slot races of both Australia's equine codes. His exciting sprinter Briasa is already locked in for the $20 million The Everest on October 18 through the slot held by Max Whitby, Steve McCann, Colin Madden and Neil Werrett. Now Hawkes and his harness trainer, Geoff Webster, are hunting for a slot in the world's richest harness race, the $2.1 million TAB Eureka, with emerging three-year-old Seathestars at Menangle on September 6. Hawkes has always had a passion for harness racing and has owned '25 or more' pacers over the years, but Seathestars is potentially the best yet. The gelding won three races on end, including the South-East Derby at Albion Park on July 5, before a slashing and luckless fourth in the $150,000 Group 1 Queensland Derby last Saturday night. Seathestars drew outside the back row, sat near the rear and defied the pattern of racing to storm home into fourth spot behind star Kiwi pacer Rubira, which led throughout. 'I thought his run was great,' Hawkes said. 'You couldn't ask for any more from where he drew and how far back he was. He's always shown ability, but he keeps improving and that's the exciting part. 'Geoff (Webster) mentioned The Eureka and I let him call the shots. If he thinks the horse is good enough to aim for it, then I'm onboard. 'It's a race for three and four-year-olds and the four-year-old crop doesn't look overly strong this year, so it could be a year for a three-year-old to win it. 'It would be exciting to have a runner in The Everest and The Eureka.' • 'The shoulder has had enough': Digger calls time on career Webster added: 'I've always liked him, but on what he's done the past few weeks, especially in the Derby, he's even better than I thought he was.' Hawkes said Briasa would return to his Rosehill stables this week and had thrived during his time out. 'I think he can go up another notch this campaign, but he'll need to, given the races we're aiming at,' he said. 'Most of what he's done so far has been on raw ability. 'The timing is perfect for him to have a crack at a race like The Everest. He's lightly raced and still on the up. It's the right time of his career.' Briasa is brilliant in the G1 T J Smith Stakes! He makes it 7 wins from just 9 starts as he races away for @HawkesRacing and @G1TySchil! ðŸ'¨ @aus_turf_club | @WorldPool — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025 Briasa boasts seven wins from just 10 starts, including the Group 1 TJ Smith, and hasn't raced since a fourth in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick on April 19. 'Forgive that run, he just wasn't quite ready and mature enough for the 1400m,' Hawkes said. Briasa is $8 third favourite behind Hong Kong sensation Ka Ying Rising and the exciting Private Harry in latest The Everest markets. Hawkes is looking forward to the challenge against Ka Ying Rising. 'He's clearly a very good horse, but I'm not scared of him. You want to race the best,' he said. 'I know my horse has the potential to improve a lot on what we've seen so far, so I'm excited about getting the chance to take on a horse like him (Ka Ying Rising), especially in our own backyard.'
