The build-up to the second running of the world’s richest harness racing is gathering momentum.

Last year’s inaugural TAB Eureka was a resounding success on every level.

And this year’s edition, while missing some of the headline-grabbing of Captain Ravishing, Leap To Fame and Catch A Wave, has the right ingredients to be another memorable race.

When the TAB Eureka was launched, the wish for it to be a talking point all year round.

Harness Racing Australia looked at the talkability of The Everest in the thoroughbred world and wanted something similar.

Last year’s build-up was fascinating, even dramatic and riveting at times thanks to Captain Ravishing.

The race night itself was outstanding. It sparked memories of the glory days of harness racing with a big crowd and great atmosphere.

As former top NSW horseman Richard Hancock told me on the night “this feels like the good old days, doesn’t it Adam?”

It did.

Then came the race. Encipher, the last runner to gain a slot into the race and the only mare, upstaged the big guns with a withering finishing burst for stand-in driver Luke McCarthy and trainers Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin.

Even Kate Gath, who had driven Encipher so many times but was committed to her own horse Catch A Wave, found time to smile with satisfaction for Encipher while finishing down the track herself.

The TAB Eureka was built to unite the industry, to promote our own and showcase what a great sport we have in Australia.

How fitting it was that a hobby owner-breeder from Kadina in South Australia, Tyson Linke, won with Encipher.

Despite blowing most punters out, it was still such a heartwarming story.

Leap To Fame became a standout by race night last year and although he didn’t win, he went superbly and has gone on to do incredible things since, including his “Triple Crown” through the Inter Dominion, Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile.

There is no standout this year, but the deserved top seed is the Queensland owned and Jason Grimson-trained Frankie Ferocious.

His four starts for Grimson have been outstanding, including wins in the 4YO Bonanza and Chariots Of Fire and the enormous last-start fourth to Leap To Fame in the Miracle Mile on March 9.

It’ll be great to see if he picks up where he left off in Queensland in coming weeks.

Frankie Ferocious still needs to get a slot into the race, but it surely can’t be far off.

The three confirmed slots of 10 in the race so far are: Never Ending (Soho Standardbreds), Captains Knock (Cordina Racing) and Extreme Sea (Wayne Loader).

 Extreme Sea is the buzz horse of the race right now, especially after winning last Saturday night's $100,000 NSW Regional Metropolitan final by half the straight in blistering time.

It will be a surprise if he doesn't repeat the dose in this week's overall $100,000 NSW Regional final again at Menangle.

He looks a bit special.

Defending champions Stewart and Tonkin have at least three major contenders all hunting for slots: The Lost Storm, Petracca and High Above.

The Lost Storm may get the TAB slot again despite racing for them when only ninth as a three-year-old last year.

Petracca is owned by Danny and Jo Zavitsanos and is the front-runner to get their Team Zav slot.

High Above is the interesting one. The younger half-brother to the freakishly talented but injury-plagued Ride High has raced just four wins for three wins.

Tonkin makes no secret of the fact of the massive opinion he has of the four-year-old.

And Stewart confirmed High Above and Petracca were coming up together with a specific focus on the TAB Eureka.

The TAB Eureka picture will become a lot clearer in coming weeks when the likes of Frankie Ferocious, The Lost Storm, For Real Life, Extreme Sea, Captain Knock, Sure Thing Captain and maybe Captain Hammerhead along with clash in races like the Rising Sun during the Queensland Constellations.

Just like last year, it should be a heck of a race and it's still more than three months away