Don Hugo has won the $2.1 million TAB Eureka at Menangle

Don Hugo has won the $2.1 million TAB Eureka at Menangle in emphatic fashion for trainer-driver Luke McCarthy and slot holder John Singleton.

Connections of Don Hugo celebrate after his victory in the TAB Eureka Picture: Wendell Teodoro/Getty Images for Club Menangle

LARRIKIN entrepreneur John Singleton was the first and biggest supporter of the $2.1 million TAB Eureka and now he’s won the world’s richest harness race.

Singleton, who locked-in a slot as soon as they became available, used that slot on Don Hugo, which led throughout to beat a stellar field at Menangle last night.

The win continued champion horseman Luke McCarthy’s perfect record in the TAB Eureka. He trained and drove Don Hugo last night and drove Encipher to win last year’s inaugural running.

“This is big. I said winning last year was one of my biggest thrills, but to train and drive the winner this year is next level,” McCarthy said.

“This race is such a great thing for the sport, look at the crowd and atmosphere here, and to win the first two and have a place in history is pretty special.”

McCarthy summed-up the race perfectly, pushing forward from a wide draw and taking the lead from Wisper A Secret.

“I got away with a comfy run in front and knew he’d be hard to beat,” he said. “I didn’t go out with a plan, but when I saw the opportunity to keep going forward and get the front, I took it.

“He’s just kept improving in each campaign this horse.

“He raced so well through the big Queensland (winter) races and I was thrilled when he got ‘Singo’s’ slot.”

First into the straight and first across the line!

DON HUGO takes out the 2024 @tabcomau@eurekarace for Team Singo and Trainer/Driver Luke McCarthy who makes it back-to-back wins in the world's richest harness race 👏 pic.twitter.com/3v9CBLLtqp

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 7, 2024

McCarthy teamed with Emma Stewart to win last year, but last night he thwarted the champion Victorian trainer.

Stewart trained the second and third placegetters, Bay Of Biscay and High Above.

Bay Of Biscay, the only three-year-old in the race, was desperately unlucky. He only escaped a pocket late and flashed home.

Importantly, it proved three-year-old’s could be a major force in the TAB Eureka after last year’s two three-year-old starters finished down the track.

High Above, the least experienced runner at just his 10th start, was arguably the run of the race after making an early move to sit outside the leader and winner. He looks every bit a star in the making.

Earlier in the night, former Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave added to his fantastic Menangle record by winning the $150,000 Group 1 Len Smith Mile.

It was Catch A Wave’s eighth Group 1 win and took him past $2 million in career earnings. He had previously won last year’s Miracle Mile and Chariots Of Fire at Menangle.

Trainer Andy Gath said even he and wife, Kate Gath, who drives Catch A Wave, had varied opinions on his chances heading into last night.

A bumper crowd was on hand at Menangle for the TAB Eureka won by Don Hugo Picture: Wendell Teodoro/Getty Images for Club Menangle

“Kate wasn’t sure he’d done enough in his two runs back (this campaign), but I was sure he had,” he said.

“We’ve seen this movie before with him. He’s always had his quirks and one is needing those two or three runs at the start of a campaign to get back to his best.

“It’s great to have him back and firing with some big races coming up.”

Catch A Wave’s next major target is the $300,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton on October 12, a race he finished a close second in last year.

Gath said the plan was then to return to Perth for the $450,000 Group 1 WA Pacing Cup in November at Gloucester Park, where Catch A Wave won the big Nullarbor/Fremantle Cup double in April.

· Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.

Originally published as Don Hugo has won the $2.1 million TAB Eureka at Menangle