TAB Eureka Countdown - August 7

AUSTRALIA’S top three-year-old The Lost Storm is set to continue his TAB Eureka preparation at Ballarat on Friday night.

Co-trainer Emma Stewart said the stunning young pacer had come through his easy last-start Queensland Derby win in great order.

“He seems great,” she said. “There’s a race for him at Ballarat and then we’ll see how he comes through that and decide if he needs another run before the Eureka. I’d say he might have one more run before it.”

The Lost Storm boasts 10 wins, a second and a third from just 12 starts.

Latest markets have The Lost Storm into clear third favouritism for the $2.1mil TAB Eureka at Menangle on September 2. He’s at $6 only behind Leap To Fame ($2.10) and Catch A Wave ($3.50).

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TRAINER Andy Gath’s only big decision between now and the TAB Eureka is whether to have one or two more lead-up races with his stable star Catch A Wave.

Gath seemed very content with the Miracle Mile winner’s progress after he worked solidly between races with polished open-class performer Mach Dan at Geelong’s “Team Zav” night last Friday.

“It was pretty much exactly what we wanted from him, the times were spot on and he finished it off strongly,” Gath said.

“That first-up run and the Geelong work will bring him along for the next run at Melton on Saturday week.

“Then it’s all about how he goes on the 19th and comes through it as to whether we give him another run the week after or look at a trial or just go straight to Menangle.”

Being trackside at Geelong, it was noticeable how Catch A Wave has really furnished since his spell following the Miracle Mile.

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QUEENSLAND sensation Leap To Fame will have one more lead-up run at Albion Park before heading to Menangle for the TAB Eureka.

Grant Dixon’s megastar showed why is $2.10 favourite for the race when he toyed with a handy field at Albion Park last Saturday.

Despite sitting parked in slick time, Leap To Fame clicked into another gear on the home bend and won pulling clear without being extended by 10.2m.

It was his first run since that epic second to Swayzee – when he carried a flat tyre and seized wheel over the last 300m – in the Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park on July 22.

“He had two days off after that run and has bounced back really well, as tonight showed,” Dixon said.

“He’ll have another run here and then we’ll head down to Menangle, probably the Sunday before the Eureka if he’s got to be in the retention barn from the Thursday.”

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GIFTED pacer Captain Ravishing has gone from the X-factor to the confusing factor of the TAB Eureka.

Less than a month out from the race and the four-year-old has barely been out of second gear in two public workouts.

Captain Ravishing dawdled (by his standards) around Geelong last Friday night and many noted he didn’t look comfortable around the final bend.

Trainer Ahmed Taiba conceded it was crunch time and said he was looking at working Captain Ravishing “more seriously” at Melton this week, most likely between races on Saturday night.

Taiba reaffirmed the plan to take Captain Ravishing into the TAB Eureka without a lead-up race. That will be first-up for six months over 2400m.

As freakishly talented and fast as Captain Ravishing is, he seems to have it all stacked against him.

If he doesn’t set some sparks flying at Melton this week, you would have to think he’s racing the clock to be where he needs to tackle the likes of what will be race hardened stars like Leap To Fame, Catch A Wave and The Lost Storm.

All eyes will be on his next hit out.

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STAR WA mare Wonderful To Fly remains on target for a Sydney raid to chase a TAB Eureka berth despite a shock defeat at Gloucester Park Friday night.

Trainer-driver Shane Young said the four-year-old vetted well yesterday (Sunday) after finishing second to Steno and would be flown from Perth to Melbourne on Wednesday if that flight is confirmed.

“She’s going if it leaves Wednesday,” he said. “Steno is a top mare when right and she got a run in front which turned it into a 600m dash home.”

Wonderful To Fly’s only way into the TAB Eureka is by winning or impressing slot holder John Singleton enough when she tackles the race he created with Club Menangle, the $50,000 Singo.

WA’s other TAB Eureka connection is through leviathan owner-breeder Rob Watson and his Soho Standardbreds operation, who has My Ultimate Ronnie in its slot.

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DID talented four-year-old Ripp do enough to land a TAB Eureka start?

Wayne Loader has been open in saying Ripp was top seed for his slot, under the Western Jewel banner, in the TAB Eureka.

The big boy returned from a spell with a solid fifth to upset winner Stingray Tara in the Alf Phillis free-for-all (1609m) at Menangle last Saturday night.

Ripp will obviously strip fitter for the run, boasts four wins at Menangle and did run a huge second to Leap To Fame in last season’s Victoria Derby, most importantly over the long 2760m trip.

Loader is expected to declare his hand this week.

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EXPECT another TAB Eureka slot holder to declare its hand in coming days.

Speculation is strong that the innovative Aaron Bain Racing and & Summit Bloodstock are well advanced in talks to fill their slot.

High-class mare Encipher and polished Queensland pacer Tims A Trooper, a stablemate of Leap To Fame, are surely the front-runners.