The Singo to offer the final spot to harness racing’s Eureka prize

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Eureka slotholder John Singleton knows he will be up against a couple of superstar four-year-olds in Leap To Fame and Catch A Wave but believes he will have the form horse going into the $2.1 million feature at Menangle in September.

With six of the 10 places in the Eureka field filled after Speak The Truth won the Hayden at Albion Park on Saturday to secure the Racing Queensland spot, the advertising mogul announced his slot will go to the horse he likes best out of The Singo, which will be run two weeks before the world’s richest harness race.

John Singleton.Credit: Getty

The Singo will be worth $50,000, but winning won’t ensure a place in the Eureka with Singleton and a team of advisors to pick their horse out of the runners from the race at Menangle on August 19.

“The good ones might be gone but we will have the best horse around at the time,” Singleton said. “We are going to be the underdog, but I’m confident we will have the form horse and we can shock the big guns.

“On the night we’ll watch the race and then decide what our best option is.”

The Singo will also be where the four emergencies for the Eureka are selected and all the runners are guaranteed a start in the Stockade, which will be a $100,000 race on September 2, Eureka night.

Like the Eureka, the Singo will be run over the Menangle 2400m and be restricted to Australian-bred three and four-year-olds and will be scheduled early on the program with Singleton to announce his choice an hour later.

Leap To Fame storms away with the Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park on Saturday night.Credit: Dan Costello

“The TAB Eureka has everybody talking and, as only Singo can, he’s added another fascinating twist to the build-up,” Club Menangle racing manager David Wonson said.

“It’s fantastic to have Singo involved in the TAB Eureka. He’s been a huge supporter since day one and he wanted to work with us to find a different way of filling his slot … we love what he’s come up with.”

The first running of the Eureka has come in a vintage year for the sport. It will be the first meeting of Chariots Of Fire and Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave and three-time Derby winner Leap To Fame, who ran a 1:50.2 mile to win the Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park on Saturday.

The Lost Storm was the third Eureka horse to win at Albion Park on Saturday. He was selected by the TAB and is so far the only three-year-old in the race. He is expected to win the Queensland Derby on Saturday when Leap To Fame will look for a third group 1 of the Brisbane carnival as an odds-on favourite in the Blacks A Fake.

Odds & Evens disappears after poor results

The TAB has finished the controversial Odds & Evens bet type, which was part of the initial funding for the Golden Eagle and greyhound racing’s Million Dollar Chase, as it was no longer contractually obligated to offer it.

The TAB and Racing NSW have extended the original three-year deal for funding of $10 million for the Golden Eagle, while Greyhound Racing NSW signed a sponsorship deal last month with Entain to have Ladbrokes as its tracks sponsor and to have naming rights to the Million Dollar Chase.

“Our customers have been clear for some time that Odds & Evens is not a product they want to use so we stopped offering it at a time that aligned with industry agreements,” a TAB spokesman said.

The new bet type was originally introduced to help fund the Golden Eagle.Credit: Steven Siewert

“We’re focused on delivering new products that customers have asked for and innovating the tote to create additional liquidity for punters.

“World pools are a good example of that.”

National pony race series launched

Thoroughbred Industry Careers and Pony Club Australia will run a National Pony Racing Series across five states next season with the finals scheduled for Sydney during the autumn carnival.

The series will have 12 qualifying races, comprising six individual qualifying race days with two different age and height categories before the two finals, where the winners and runners-up from each state will compete.

It formalises the exhibition races, which have been held around the country during the past couple of years, and the first set of heats will be held at Eagle Farm on August 12. There are heats scheduled on Manikato Stakes night at Moonee Valley, Northerly Stakes day in Perth, during the Magic Millions carnival and the traditional Australia Day date at Warwick Farm.

“This series will help create awareness of career opportunities within the thoroughbred industry and help build relationships between the equestrian and thoroughbred communities,” TIC chief executive Lindy Maurice said.

“It also helps the riders become educated about thoroughbred welfare and life after racing and we will be working with ‘Kick Up For Racing’ to deliver these important messages.”

Ucalledit will chase next month’s Missile Stakes over the Winter Challenge.Credit: Getty

Ucalledit to chase Missile Stakes

Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has decided not to chase the winter feature treble with Ucalledit in Saturday’s Winter Challenge at Rosehill, opting to save him for next month’s Missile Stakes.

Ucalledit won the Civic Stakes and Winter Stakes at his past two and the penalties in the handicap have prompted a change of direction.

“He is up in the weights, so we will freshen him and go to the Missile Stakes, where we will have a fitness edge on those good ones returning,” Lees said.

“We will put Acquitted in the Winter Challenge and have a look at the field. He has been unlucky behind the other fellow [Ucalledit] in those races. He was runner-up in the Winter Stakes and 1500m at Rosehill should suit him.”

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