Now a two-time winner of the world's richest harness racing event, trainer Emma Stewart declared Bay Of Biscay’s win in the $2.1 million AUD TAB Eureka at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Saturday, Sept. 6 as the greatest moment of her stellar career.

The 43-year-old Stewart, who boasts almost 3,500 wins and 140 at the Group 1 level downunder, said the win trumped her success with former star mare Encipher in the inaugural 2023 TAB Eureka.

“I didn’t think we could top that, but this has,” she said. “This horse has been so special to Clayton (partner Clayton Tonkin of Tonkin Stewart Racing) and I from the first day he walked into the stable ... Clayton called him the ‘Golden Child’.

“We thought so much of him, we ran him as a three-year-old in the race last year and he was an unlucky second. Everything has been built around coming back to go one better this year and he’s done it.”

Australia’s top young driver Cam Hart said the thrill matched any of his stellar career, including two NZ Cups and a Hunter Cup with champion stayer Swayzee.

“It’s right up with any thrill I’ve had in such a huge race in my own backyard,” he said. “I’ve been so lucky to have the owners and Emma and Clayton back me in to drive this horse. I was on him last year and going one better means everything.”

Hart summed the race up perfectly early when, from a wide draw, he balanced up and then rushed forward to take the lead from Seathestars (Will Rixon) and then cut Bay Of Biscay loose over the last 1,200 metres in the 2,300-metre race.

Bay Of Biscay held on strongly to beat stablemate Fox Dan (Ryan Sanderson) by about half a length with Luke McCarthy’s Hesitate in the third spot a length off the winner.

Four-year-old Bay Of Biscay was bred in Australia by Alabar Bloodstock but is a product of bloodlines very familiar to fans and followers of North American harness racing. His sire is the legendary Somebeachsomewhere and his dam is former Open class competitor Nike Franco N. His owners include T. S. Bunning, S. J. Murray, Alabar Bloodstock, I. W. Delmenico, P. J. Armstrong, J. G. Anderson, D. E. Reilly, G. W. Armstrong, S. J. Watt, R. R. Maisner, W. A. Pridmore and Kennedy Group. 

In 25 career starts, Bay Of Biscay sports a summary of 12-7-2. The win lifts the stallion's earnings to $1,838,830 AUD. 

(with files from TAB Eureka)