Just Believe smashes track record at Inter Dominion

Champion trotter Just Believe (Orlando Vici) capped off a fine ID23 series of heats for Larajay when he smashed the track record in a stunning win in the final heat of the series at Albion Park.

Just Believe was kept company in the lead by Gus as the pair slid through the first quarter of the last mile in 28.9 while Ollivici was lobbing along in the running line before latching onto the back of Just Believe with 400 metres to travel. 

Just Believe ($1.12 fav) dropped Ollivici off half way down the straight opening up a winning margin of eight metres in a mile rate of 1:57.5 for the 2680 metre journey. 

The Yabby Dam Farms bred trotter eclipsed the previous record by more than three seconds. 

“He’s a very special animal and it’s just a privilege to have him in our stable,” Greg Sugars said.

“He did it incredibly comfortable, that’s one thing about him is sometimes when he’s in front he can switch off a bit but having Gus up outside kept us honest, it really kept his mind on the job,” he said.

JUST BELIEVE REPLAY

Sugars said he had plenty in reserve around the home turn. 

“I still had that much horse left turning into the straight that he really felt like he was in second gear,” he said.  

“I’m a bit lost for words on how to describe him-he’s just an amazing horse.” 

Just Believe is now unbeaten in six heats and a Final from his past two Inter Dominion campaigns and it will take an extraordinary performance from one his rivals to prevent him from making a clean sweep of ID22 and ID23.  

Chris Alford believes the Brent Lilley trained Queen Elida (Love You) is back on track after breaking her series heat ‘drought’ in the first heat of Round Three.

Queen Elida ($1.65 fav) had finished runner up in previous two heats after leading however the daughter of Love You appeared much sharper tonight careering away from her rivals to score comfortably by eight metres from Plymouth Chubb in a 55.2 last 400 metres. 

QUEEN ELIDA REPLAY

“I was a bit concerned after the first night but Brent’s done a good job with her to get her back to where she should be,” Alford said. 

“Going forward she’s still on the rise for next week and hopefully we get a bit of luck with the draw and she’ll be in it,” Alford said. 

Alford believes the mare has acclimatized to the warmer weather in Brisbane. 

“She would never have seen humidity in her life being a Kiwi and then a Victorian but she’s adjusted well now and all’s good for next week,” he said.  

Alford said he has no qualms in asking Queen Elida to make full use of favorable barrier draws. 

“She’s got really good at leaving the gate now, we didn’t use to do it much early in her career because she was always that little bit weak but she’s a lot stronger now and can handle it,” he said. 

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink