Loucasso after winning the 2025 2yo Breeders Crown
AUSTRALIA’S most exciting young pacer Loucasso will have a shock stable change as one of the sport’s biggest and most successful partnerships comes to a close.
Loucasso is one of the favourites for the world’s richest pacing race, the $1.5 million TAB Eureka, after a juvenile season of nine starts netted seven wins, a second and over $400,000 for the powerhouse Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin stable.
The hugely valuable colt is raced by Summit Bloodstock, which has enjoyed enormous success across a long line of stars with Stewart and Tonkin.
Champion NSW trainer-driver Luke McCarthy is understood to be the most likely new trainer for the Loucasso.
Just last December, Summit-owned horses won three of the four Breeders Crown pacing finals at Melton – Loucasso, Beach Diamond and Captain Perfect - and all were trained by Stewart and Tonkin.
Star four-year-old mare Beach Diamond was the first to exit last month. She is now based in Perth with trainer Michael Young with Summit’s Jamie Durnberger-Smith citing greater opportunities in WA.
Stewart confirmed Loucasso was leaving the stable “as part of a review of our training business”, but declined to elaborate any further.
Sources close to the stable confirmed Loucasso was “one of about 15 to 20 horses” to leave the barn.
“And there were a heap more of Summit’s youngsters set to join the stable, too,” the source said.
When contacted, Durnberger-Smith said: "Out of respect to Emma and Clayton, I don't want to make any comments."
Captain Perfect, who is part-owned by Summit, will stay with Stewart and Tonkin because he was bred and is part-owned by long-standing stable client Bruce Edward.
Loucasso has not raced yet this season due to some minor issues, but was being set for a raid on the rich Queensland Constellations carnival in July.
His obvious major targets are the $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun at Albion Park on July 4 and the $150,000 Group 1 Queensland Derby at the same track two weeks later.
Loucasso has been to Albion Park once before when he brilliantly won the $500,000 Group 1 Protostar last July.
Beyond Queensland, the TAB Eureka at Menangle in its new late November timeslot is Loucasso’s major target.
Many believe he has the talent to become the first three-year-old to win the feature.
PHOTO: Stuart McCormick
