From heartbreak to hope: Fighter Command poised for emotional Eureka tilt

5 September 2025

MICHAEL COURT |

 

THERE might not be too many dry eyes at Tabcorp Park Menangle should the well-backed Fighter Command win Saturday night’s $2.1m TAB Eureka, the world’s richest harness race.

 

That’s because the late great champion reinsman Greg Sugars would have been aboard the four-year-old for his trainer-partner Jess Tubbs if not for his untimely death less than five months ago from a suspected aneurysm.

 

Sugars was to have driven Fighter Command in last year’s race before that pacer suffered a serious colic attack, which almost claimed his life.

 

Now the son of boom sire Always Be Miki is back for another shot at the Eureka with another of Victoria’s leading reinsman, James Herbertson sitting in the gig.

 

“It’s been quite the roller coaster with this big boy,” said Tubbs.

 

“It’s certainly been a busy 12 months getting him ready for this edition of the Eureka.

 

“We went to Tasmania for their big race The Beautide which he won again and broke his own track record to make the field for this year.

 

“Now we’ve made it to Sydney, its fingers crossed for this race.”

 

Drawn in barrier eight, Fighter Command will come into seven with the emergencies out.

 

“We have options from the start and it will be up to ‘Herbie’ to balance him up early and we’ll wait and see how the race unfolds,” said Tubbs.

 

“It’s an open field and none of these horses seem to be head and shoulders above the rest.

 

“We can’t really worry about one horse in the field, they all deserve to be there.”

 

Tubbs drove up to Sydney earlier this week and gave Fighter Command his final bout of fast work to prepare for his entry into the retention barn.

 

“He settled in well at Blake and Lisa Fitzpatrick’s place and seemed pretty happy in his surroundings there,” she said.

 

“Sure, you do get nervous leading into these races.

 

“You try not to think about it too much but you just want to do the right thing by the horse and represent the stable well.

 

“There’s a lot of money on the line so I will definitely be feeling the nerves on the night.”

 

Victoria’s leading trainer Emma Stewart dominates the field for Saturday night’s feature with four runners Fox Dan, Go Miki, Bay Of Biscay and Miki To Success while Queensland’s leading trainer Grant Dixon has three . . . Fate Awaits, Path To Greatness and Call To Order.