Draw a plus as Moran searches for Eureka selection

19 August 2023

ACE Victorian horseman David Moran gets his shot at last spot in the $2.1m TAB Eureka when he heads for Menangle tonight with exciting three-year-old Captain Hammerhead.

With 19 Group 1 victories already on his resume, Moran is hoping he has just the horse to add another feature to his list of credits and overcome the best four-year-olds in the land – and possibly the best three-year-old, The Lost Storm as well.

Captain Hammerhead has been installed an early $3.75 second favourite behind Tims A Trooper $1.75 for tonight’s $50,000 The Singo.

Yet after drawing the pole, Moran feels Captain Hammerhead has the gate speed to do the job and become entrepreneur John Singleton’s ‘slotholder’ selection for the eagerly-anticipated TAB Eureka on September 2.

“He came up here as a two-year-old for the Breeders Challenge and probably wasn’t 100 per cent ready and was still a bit immature at the time,” said Moran.

“He went well in the first heat and was really unlucky in the final and probably should have run in the first three.

“And then his next start was in a heat of the NSW Derby and I drove him completely upside down that night and his defeat was probably more my fault than his.”

Moran says the inside draw and the pressure that comes from horses drawn outside him shouldn’t be a problem at Menangle tonight.

“He’s pretty fast out of the gate so they would need to be very quick to cross him,” said Moran.

“He’s definitely a better horse this time around and I drove him way too hard in that Derby heat.

“It would just be fantastic if we could get into the Eureka.”

The favourite, Tims A Trooper, may need a little luck from his wide draw, but does have the services of leading Menangle reinsman Robbie Morris.

“He looks an absolute treat and is bouncing out of his skin,” said Morris.

“He’s a great traveller this horse and seems to enjoy getting in the float and heading away.

“There’s some handy sit-sprinters there so we’ll look to drive him where he’s comfortable and worry about the rest later.

“A win would be great but we just want him to run a super race, have a good hit-out and hit the line strongly. We know he is in contention for that spot in the Eureka.

“You don’t often get to score-up in a race worth $2.1m – that’s what you dream about as a kid.”