Emerging Victorian Jackie Barker has snared the opportunity of a lifetime with the drive on TAB Eureka big gun Miki To Success.
After days of speculation, trainer Emma Stewart confirmed connections had locked-in 29-year-old Barker for Saturday night’s $2.1 million feature.
While it is by far the biggest stage Barker has driven on, she has won 620 races, including two at Group 1 level.
One of those Group 1 wins also came aboard Miki To Success in last year’s Vicbred 3YO final at Melton.
Barker has driven Miki To Success more than anyone else with 15 starts netting six wins and four thirds.
Speculation around the drive has swirled since top NSW freelancer Cam Hart drove Miki To Success to a career-best win and effectively landed his TAB Eureka berth in last start’s Racenet Discovery Stakes last Saturday week.
But Hart was already committed to Chariots Of Fire winner Bay of Biscay, who is looking to go one better than his luckless second to Don Hugo in last year’s TAB Eureka.
Despite drawing the extreme outside barrier, Miki To Success is $5 third favourite.
Barker’s booking cements the drivers for Stewart’s record four TAB Eureka runners. The others are Ryan Sanderson (Fox Dan) and Mark Pitt (Go Miki).
Stewart said it was difficult to split her quartet, especially after the barrier draw, but leans slightly to Bay Of Biscay.
“It’s great to have four in it because so much will come down to how the race is run and which horse gets the right sort of run,” she said. “They’re all exciting horses and have earned their spots.
“If I had to go for one, it would be Bay Of Biscay because he’s been there and done it before.
“He’s the most experienced in these really big races and he’s peaking at the right time.
“He’s a big stallion now and has needed racing. We’ve really noticed him come on since his last run (fourth) at Melton.
Bay Of Biscay’s form at Menangle, a very different 1400m track, is another huge plus.
The four-year-old has raced six times at Menangle for three wins, two seconds and a third.
The other driver jigsaw sat with top Queensland trainers Grant and Trista Dixon with three runners.
Grant will drive Fate Awaits, Robbie Morris has the gig on Path To Greatness and Adam Sanderson will be aboard Call To Order.
Although Fate Awaits (gate three, $11) is clearly Team Dixon’s most favoured runner, Grant warned Path To Greatness was the “wildcard.”
“I’ve said all along, there’s very little between him and Fate Awaits and he (Path To Greatness) is over his little setback and right where we want him again.”
