ABR & Summit Bloodstock snap up High Above for Eureka

Untapped young pacer High Above (Captaintreacherous) has the chance to win the world’s richest harness race at just his 10th start.

Slot holders Aaron Bain Racing & Summit Bloodstock were so impressed with the four-year-old’s Melton win last night, they snapped-up High Above for their slot in next Saturday night’s $2.1mil TAB Eureka at Menangle.

High Above is a half-brother to the freakish Ride High, who won 16 of just 18 starts before injury cut his career short.

“He’s an untapped excitement machine and really has the X-factor and he’s put two terrific wins in a row at just the right time,” Summit Bloodstock’s Jamie Durnberger-Smith said.

“We had a couple of horses in mind going into last night’s Melton meeting, but we were super impressed with how High Above won.

“Obviously it’s a strong race, but they’ll know he’s in it. He’s got tremendous high speed and he’s on the up at the right time.”

High Above’s nine starts have netted five wins, a second and a third.

Bain and Summit are out to defend the title they won last year when they used their slot to team-up with the Emma Stewart-trained Encipher, winner of the inaugural TAB Eureka.

Confirmation High Above will tackle this year’s race gives Stewart and Tonkin a remarkable three starters in the 10-horse field.

The others are star mare Major Delight (Team Zav slot) and exciting three-year-old Bay Of Biscay (Kevin and Kay Seymour slot).

At this stage, the only confirmed driver is Ashleigh Delosa aboard Major Delight.

High Above firmed from $16 into $12 after securing a slot.

Young WA star Never Ending, who has the Soho Standardbreds slot, is a commanding $2.40 favourite ahead of Monday’s barrier draw.

The lone remaining slot is that of TAB, which will be finalised after they choose a runner from tonight’s Racenet Discovery Stakes (2300m) at Menangle.

The clear favourite is the David Moran-trained Captain Hammerhead, who ran ninth in last year’s TAB Eureka as a raw three-year-old.