Race of the Week - Speed and a salute to remember

There was no hiding the emotion as Seaton Grima delivered an early huge winning salute aboard Loucasso after capturing the $150,000 Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge Final at Menangle on Saturday night.

And who could blame him?

The brilliant son of Sweet Lou had just delivered Grima his first Group 1 victory, extending his winning streak to nine and reinforcing his position as favourite for the $1.5 million TAB Eureka.

Drawn wide, Grima initially eased Loucasso back while Berocca Bernie, Yottie and Nocturnal contested the early running.

But approaching halfway, Grima made his move, sweeping around the field to take control as Yottie surrendered the lead.

From there, Loucasso turned on the afterburners.

A blistering 27.5-second third quarter put his rivals under pressure before he powered home in 27.3 seconds, stopping the clock at a stunning 1:48.7.

Alert Bay emerged as a late threat, but Loucasso had all the answers, scoring by just under five metres.

Then came the moment that made this week’s race particularly memorable.

As the winning post approached, Grima celebrated with an exuberant flourish of the whip, a salute that reflected the significance of his breakthrough Group 1 success.

LOUCASSO 31 OCT REPLAY

Loucasso now boasts 12 wins from 14 starts and more than $535,000 in earnings.

With the TAB Eureka looming on November 21, the question is becoming increasingly difficult for his rivals to answer.

 

From Harnesslink Media