Extreme Sea
SATURDAY night could be the forerunner to something so much bigger for untapped Goulburn pacer Extreme Sea.
The explosive four-year-old is favourite to overcome a back row and win the $100,000 TAB Regional Metropolitan final (2300m) at Menangle.
But trainer David Hewitt admits he is letting his mind wander a tad further down the track to another Menangle race.
That's because Extreme Sea, who boasts five wins from just eight starts, has already landed a Wayne Loader's slot in the world's richest harness race, the $2.1mil TAB Eureka at Menangle on September 7.
"It's hard not to get excited about that, but it's still a while away yet," he said.
"We're hoping races like this week and, if he gets through as we hope, the overall Regional final will help bring him on and develop him for the Eureka."
"He's very good this fella, and we thought on ability he might sneak a late slot in the Eureka, but it's great Wayne (Loader) has taken him early. I guess he was so impressive winning the big final at Wagga that he convinced him."
Extreme Sea won the Riverina Championship final at Wagga on March 31 and was freshened up before making an even bigger statement, winning his heat of the TAB Regional Metropolitan series at Menangle on March 7.
The son of Well Said scored by a staggering 25.3m in a 1min54.3sec mile rate for 2300m.
"He's got a hell of a lot of speed, and it's great he's been able to show it in his past couple of runs," Hewitt said.
"The last start was particularly pleasing because he was left without cover and got keen at times but still ran away from them. Brad (Hewitt, driver) said he still had plenty left."
"He's got a trialling draw this week and it suits him at this stage, especially over the longer distance."
If Extreme Sea does well in his next couple of Menangle runs, Hewitt said he could consider a Queensland winter raid.
The $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun, restricted to three and four-year-old pacers, would be a logical target at Albion Park on July 13.
"He'll need to be racing around that time to get fit for the Eureka, so it's something we'll seriously consider if the next few weeks go well," he said.
But Hewitt made no secret of the fact the TAB Eureka was the main goal.
"We all went down last year because Captains Knock was in the consolation, but to think we'll be going back with runners this year is really exciting," he said.
"It's a great race for the sport. We're all talking about it now, and it's still months away."
Many would say Hewitt is due another potential star pacer after nursing the gifted but injury-ridden Red Sea to 21 wins in just 24 starts between February 1992 and April 1998.
"He's a long story, that horse. He had issues in all four legs but so much talent," he said.
"I remember after his three-year-old season, he won all 10 starts, some Victorians came up and told me he'd have beaten Golden Reign and he was the champion of the time."
Asked to compare Extreme Sea and Red Sea, Hewitt paused and said: "It's just great to have another really good one."
