Photo: Stuart McCormick
Champion Aussie trotter Just Believe is right where connections want him heading towards next month’s inaugural $575,000 TAB Trot.
In what was almost certainly his final lead-up race, the globetrotting eight-year-old cruised to victory in last night’s Scotch Notch Memorial at Melton.
Just Believe made it 10 wins (and a second) from just 11 starts since returning from his Swedish campaign in the middle of last year.
It was an ideal warm-up with co-trainer and driver Greg Sugars barely moving a muscle as Just Believe led throughout and ripped home in 56.1 and 27.1sec to win by 5.3m in a cosy 1min59sec mile rate for 2240m.
“It’s just what we wanted. A nice easy run just to keep fitness up to the mark so we don’t have to do too much in between runs with him,” Sugars said.
“Obviously he’s a well-travelled horse now and if he gets over there in good order, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with.”
Trainer Jess Tubbs said Just Believe was due to arrive in Auckland with stablemate Better Eclipse on April 3.
“There is a race at Cambridge (Waikato Flying Mile) the next day, but even with his travel experience, we think that might be cutting it a bit fine,” she said.
“This run should top him off well and we just need to keep him up to the mark from here.”
Tubbs is fully aware of the quality of opposition and enormity of the task, especially with Kiwi star Muscle Mountain making his statement at Addington last Friday.
“It’s just going to be an amazing race, isn’t it? But that’s exciting,” she said.
“It’s great for the game and we know, as long as he travels across well, ‘Harry’ will do us proud like he always does.”
Better Eclipse is returning for another tilt at the $1mil Race By Grins after running a terrific fourth last year.
“Nothing went right for him in those couple of Sydney runs and we’ve just given him a few easy days since getting home,” Tubbs said.
“I think we’ll go straight into it with him. He goes well, a bit fresh and he’s got a good foundation behind him.” - Adam Hamilton
