Aussie News : McCarthy wins TAB Eureka, again!

By Adam Hamilton

There is just no stopping Luke McCarthy.

The champion horseman somehow managed to top his win in last year’s inaugural $2.1mil TAB Eureka.

McCarthy teamed with trainer Emma Stewart and star mare Encipher to win last year’s inaugural TAB Eureka.

But last night he did it all himself.

McCarthy trained and drove the emerging Don Hugo to a dominant win at Menangle.

“I said last year was one of the biggest thrills I’ve had in the game, but this is next level,” he said, “to train and drive the winner is pretty awesome.

“It’s such a special and important race. Look at the crowd here, feel the atmosphere … and to have this place in history (winning the first two runnings) is pretty special.”

McCarthy said he started to believe Don Hugo could win the Eureka back in June when he was campaigning in Queensland.

“Each campaign he’s just come back and gone to another level,” he said. “He stepped into some really good races up there (Queensland) and did so well.

“He really felt like he’d taken the next. I said to everyone, 'The horse was in the zone'.”

McCarthy pushed toward from a wide draw to take the lead off Queensland’s Wisper A Secret and then got away with some comfortable splits in the middle stages.

He ripped home in 54.1 and 26sec flat to hold-off a desperately unlucky Bay Of Biscay – the only three-year-old in the race – with High Above a fantastic second after sitting outside the leader much of the race.

It was another golden moment in the 41-year-old McCarthy’s career, which boasts almost 3000 driving wins, including 76 at Group 1 level.

Favourite Never Ending went back to last and was never in a slowly run race, eventually finishing 8.3m away in eighth spot.

X X X

What a difference a year makes.

This time last year Andy and Kate Gath left Menangle gutted when Catch A Wave ran one of the worst races of his career to finish near the rear in the inaugural TAB Eureka.

Last night they were all smiles after he returned to win the $150,000 Group 1 Len Smith Mile.

It was the five-year-old’s eighth Group 1 win and smashed his career earnings past $2 million.

“I wasn’t sure where he was at after the two runs back, but Andy (Gath) was adamant he had him right,” driver Kate Gath said.

“He felt fantastic in the run. I was worried we’d get stuck outside the leader, but when Speak The Truth came around and gave us cover, it was perfect.

“I knew when I pulled out, they’d be flat out beating him.

“It’s great to have him back to his best with some big races around the corner.”

Catch A Wave, who had already won a Miracle Mile and Chariots Of Fire at Menangle, will not be set for the $300,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup in his own backyard (Melton) on October 12.

Beyond that, Gath said plans were to return to Perth for the $450,000 Group 1 WA Pacing Cup in November.

“That’s been the plan since he thrived over there so well earlier in the year and won the Nullarbor and Fremantle Cup.”

Of the four NZ Cup contenders in the race, District Attorney fared best by storming home for second.

Major Moth worked to lead and tired to finish six metres away in eighth spot at his first defeat in four starts for Jason Grimson.

Auckland Cup winner Better Eclipse was shuffled back to last and made good late ground out very wide for fifth, just 4.4m from the winner, while Speak The Truth weakened to finish last after doing the work outside the leader.

X X X

Champion trotter Just Believe keeps racking up the wins ahead of another NZ raid.

The rising nine-year-old cruised to his third victory from as many starts this campaign when he beat a strong field in last Thursday night’s Group 3 John Slack Trotters’ Cup at Ballarat.

Despite sitting parked, driver Greg Sugars simply nursed Just Believe to the line to win as he liked.

Incredibly, Just Believe has raced 19 times since returning from his Swedish trip last year for 17 wins and two seconds.

The eye-catcher was high-class mare Im Ready Jet, who flew home late from well.

Like Just Believe, she is nominated for the $400,000 Dominion Trot on IRT NZ Trotting Cup Day.

So too is the emerging Arcee Phoenix, who returned from a spell in the same race and made good late ground from last to finish just behind the placegetters.

X X X

Champion trainer Emma Stewart equalled her own Australian record with her nine winners at Melton’s big Vicbred semi-finals meeting last night.

It was the third time Stewart has trained nine winners at a single meeting, the others were at Melton last year and Launceston (Tasmania) in 2022.

Last night’s dominance paves the way for another Stewart rampage at next Saturday night’s Vicbred finals meeting.

She is set to have the favourite in all six pacing finals.

X X X

Outstanding WA filly Water Lou added to her stunning record with an easy win in last Friday night’s $100,000 Group 2 Westbred Classic at Gloucester Park.

Trained by Mike Reed and driven by Shannon Suvaljko, the three-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou cruised to her 21st win from just 26 starts and took her earnings past $420,000.

The other star of the night was the Ron Huston-trained Bet The House, a son of Betting Line, who sat parked and upstage hot favourite Waverider to win the three-year-old colts and geldings version.

Former star Kiwi youngster Vincent joined the party, too. He sired Reinette, winner of the $215,000 2YO fillies’ final.