TAB Eureka Betting Hots Up

Leap To Fame - 2023 Rising Sun win.

THERE is only one more sleep until the $2.1mil TAB Eureka and the big money is rolling in.

Betting on the world’s richest harness race has been open since the TAB Eureka was first launched on April 20, last year.

There have been three different favourites along the way – Leap To Fame, Catch A Wave and Captain Ravishing.

But it’s been Leap To Fame dominating the betting for much of this year.

Grant Dixon’s superstar, racing in the slot of his owners Kevin and Kay Seymour, was as short as $1.60 with TAB last week.

Things changed a little after the barrier draw when he landed out wide – second from the outside to be exact. Leap To Fame will start from gate nine, which certainly makes things harder.

The four-year-old eased from $1.60 to $1.80 and many predict he could start even closer to $2 come race time (8.45pm Sydney time) tomorrow night.

Catch A Wave hit $4.50 last week, was into $4 on Monday and has firmed slightly again since the draw to $3.80. That’s largely because he’s drawn inside his main danger, Leap To Fame.

The Lost Storm, one of just two three-year-olds in the race, has been the big firmer since the draw. We always knew he had to draw one or two because of the preferential draw. He landed in two.

But it’s more about Leap To Fame and Catch A Wave drawing out wide in eight and nine respectively.

The Lost Storm was $6 on Monday and is now into $4.60.

Captain Ravishing, for so long the raging hot favourite, fell from favour when beaten in the Chariots Of Fire and Miracle Mile earlier this year.

He kept drifting while unsighted at the races and hit $17 at one stage. The combination of an improved workout at Menangle on Tuesday and better draw than key rivals (he’ll start from six) have seen him firm back into $13.

Speak The Truth, who drew the best available gate (six, but will start from four) has firmed as a result, from $26 into $19.

Mighty mare Encipher, the lone girl against nine boys, will start from gate eight and has continued to firm. She’s $21 shot.

LATEST TAB EUREKA BETTING

(Current at 10am Friday, September 1)

$1.80 Leap To Fame

$3.80 Catch A Wave

$4.60 The Lost Storm

$13 Captain Ravishing

$19 Speak The Truth

$21 Encipher

$31 Captain Hammerhead

$34 Tims A Trooper (emergency)

$41 Naturally Gifted (emergency)

$81 Don Hugo (emergency), Heza Of Agun (emergency), My Ultimate Ronnie

$101 Ripp

$126 Magician