While a gasp went through the room and bookies eased his odds, Australian champion driver Gary Hall Jr. wasn’t at all fussed by favourite Never Ending’s wide barrier draw in this Saturday night’s $2.1 million AUD TAB Eureka, the world's richest harness race, at Menangle Park.

The boom Western Australian four-year-old will start from the outside (gate 10) after emergencies come out of the world’s richest harness race.

Following the draw, his TAB odds immediately drifted from $2.50 to $3.30.

“I’m not fussed or disappointed,” said Hall Jr. “You’ve got to remember, with the preferential draw [for three-year-olds and mares], the best he could draw was five. If we’d drawn down closer in five or six, is it really much better?

“I said before [the draw] I wouldn’t mind drawing wide because he’s a horse who needs to balance up and settle early in his races. He also came from out there at his only Menangle run and you saw how good he went that night. Put it this way, I don’t think it’s hurt our chances. I’m happy with it.”

Champion New South Wales trainer/driver Luke McCarthy, who won last year’s inaugural TAB Eureka aboard Encipher and knows Menangle better than anyone, said the longer 2,300 m distance compared to a mile meant a wide draw wasn’t such a disadvantage.

“No doubt it helps us [rivals] and opens up the race a bit more, but [Never Ending] was outstanding last start and he looks versatile. He’s still the horse to beat,” he said.

A winner of almost 3,000 races and 79 at Group 1 level, McCarthy had to choose between driving Don Hugo and top class mare Eye Keep Smiling in Saturday’s race. He trains them both.

“It’s been one of the hardest calls I’ve had to make,” he said. “Not just because it’s such a big race, but the fact it’s so hard to split the pair. Both are right at the top of their game and have terrific winning chances in what looks a really open and even Eureka.

“I’ve gone with Don Hugo, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if the mare won.”

The biggest winner from the draw was emerging Queenslander Sure Thing Captain, who drew the best possible gate for a four-year-old “boy” in barrier five. The Shannon Price-trained pacer grabbed the last slot into the race when he won the Racenet Discovery Stakes at Menangle last Saturday night. He’s got history on his side as Encipher was the last pacer into last year’s TAB Eureka.

“He’s come through that win well and he’s the sort of horse who will thrive on it and improve,” said Price. “The draw is a help, too. He’s got the early speed to use it and take a position if that’s what Adam [Sanderson, driver] wants to do.”

Following the barrier draw, a devastating health setback to the Tasracing slot holding and outstanding three-year-old Fighter Command forced him out of the race. The Jess Tubbs-trained pacer was struck down with a twisted intestine, requiring emergency surgery. The TAB Eureka rules meant Tasracing had to move swiftly to select one of the four emergencies to fill their vacant slot. They landed on Wisper A Secret, who will start from barrier five. Sure Thing Captain drew in gate five, but he will move down into four with Fighter Command out. 

Greg Sugars has picked up the drive on the McCarthy-trained mare Eye Keep Smiling after the scratch of his original mount, Fighter Command.

Below is the barrier draw results for the $2.1 million AUD TAB Eureka slot race for three and four-year-old Australian-bred pacers.

TAB Eureka
Post – Horse – Driver
1. Fighter Command – Greg Sugars - Scratched
2. Bay Of Biscay – Cam Hart 
3. Major Delight – Ashleigh Delosa
4. Eye Keep Smiling – Greg Sugars
5. Sure Thing Captain – Adam Sanderson
6. Wisper A Secret (emerg) – Pete McMullen - Draws In
7. Free Thinker – Grant Dixon
8. Dougs Platter (emerg) – Josh Gallagher
9. High Above – Kerryn Manning
10. Don Hugo – Luke McCarthy
11. Captains Knock – Brad Hewitt 
12. Regazzo Di Tilly  (emerg) – Angus Garrard
13. Dangerous (emerg) – Ryan Sanderson
14. Never Ending – Gary Hall Jr.

(With files from TAB Eureka)