Eustace brothers are making waves | RACING.COM

Harry and David Eustace were just children playing with horses in their father’s Newmarket stables when the FBI – Freedman Brothers Incorporated – dominated Australian racing thirty years ago.

The names of Lee, Anthony and Richard are still on the rolls of honor at some of the country’s premier races, including the Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup.

The EBI – Eustace Brothers International – doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, but whether it’s Dave, who conquered some of Australia’s biggest races as Ciaron Maher’s training partner, or British trainer Harry, who saddles up for a live opportunity in During the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, they fully live up to the name.

That two young British riders from the same family, but on different paths, have had such an impact on the sport in this part of the world in such a short time is quite astonishing.

Ironically, Harry Eustace’s first job out of college was for the Freedmans in Markdel. He later returned to Australia as traveling foreman for William Haggas with G1 winner Addeybb and G3 winning stayer Young Rascal.

He chose to return to Britain to begin his training career, unlike his younger brother, who never left after spending a spring in quarantine in Werribee.

Less than a decade later, his meteoric rise shows no signs of slowing down, having opened his Hong Kong account with three winners in his first month of running at Sha Tin and Happy Valley.

Speaking from his new base in Asia, David Eustace said it was the nature and prosperity of the Australian racing industry that gave both brothers their opportunities.

“It’s certainly a testament to Australia and the racing there,” Eustace said.

“I have no doubt that it is the Australian psyche and attitude to give young people an opportunity if they are willing to do so.

“That’s probably broader racing too, if you’re young and looking forward to it, there are opportunities.

“I guess that attitude comes from mom and dad, because they definitely instilled in us that if you keep your head down, work hard and have a joke, that’s the best way to go.

“I think we’re both very fortunate that we grew up on a racing site and happened to love the game.

“We weren’t forced into it in any way, but we loved it from day one.

“Because of their hard work they can now enjoy it. They spent a lot of time in Australia when I was there and they are now there to support Harry before they come to Hong Kong.”

Eustace traveled to Melbourne to watch his brother’s horse Docklands finish fifth behind Via Sistina in the Cox Plate.

He was back in Hong Kong and cheering from afar as Sea King booked their place in the Melbourne Cup with a dominant performance in the Bendigo Cup.

Victory in the $500,000 race overshadowed all the young trainer’s exploits at home and now gives him the chance to orchestrate his own piece of Melbourne Cup history, two years after Dave co-trained Gold Trip to win the iconic event.

WATCH: Sea King’s Bendigo Cup win

Although Sea King has achieved unexpected fame, Eustace can’t wait for Tuesday.

“I haven’t had a sensation like that in a long time,” he said.

“It was absolutely fantastic.

“Harry had the horse and it was a comfortable watch the whole time, he traveled like a steam train and when Dec (Declan Bates) let him go you knew he would stay healthy.

“He became the cantering partner of Docklands and what a cantering partner he has become.

“To have a real live shot in the Melbourne Cup is incredible.

“If he could win the big one it would be a dream and I would be very proud of him.”

Eustace sees parallels between a horse he trained to win the Bendigo Cup, High Emocean and Sea King.

The tough mare was a late inclusion in the Melbourne Cup field after gaining over 2400m in Bendigo the week before, but she backed it up to finish third behind stablemate Gold Trip.

Eustace also pointed to the form from the Ebor, in which Sea King achieved a creditable sixth place and has already built up this spring.

“I looked at his form and Ebor has been very competitive in the race time and time again, but he hadn’t even qualified for the Cup,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone, even Harry, can say for sure that he planned to end up there on Tuesday, but sometimes things like that work out for the best.

“I immediately thought of High Emocean when Harry said he was going to the Bendigo Cup.

“She snuck into the Melbourne Cup through Bendigo and ran a huge race to make it happen.”