2023 HRA Vancleve Award winners

Champion trotter Just Believe’s (Orlando Vici) stunning harness racing CV just got bigger.

The Jess Tubbs-trained global sensation has snared the 2023 Australia Trotter of the Year title.

Just Believe was totally dominant last year with 11 starts in Australia netting eight wins, two seconds, a third and $483,300.

His wins included the Great Southern Star final, Brisbane Inter Dominion final and Australian Trotting Grand Prix – all at Group 1 level.

In addition, Just Believe drew international acclaim with three runs in Sweden, including a second and a third in elite company.

The only other trotter to receive top votes from any voting panel members in the premier category of the Vancleve Awards was the brilliant Queen Elida, who banked $372,950 last season through 13 wins, five seconds and two thirds.

Just Believe was also a unanimous winner in the Aged Trotting Horse/Gelding of the Year, while it was the same dominance for Queen Elida in the Aged Trotting Mare category. It was Queen Elida’s second successive win in the category.

The unbeaten Nathan Jack-trained Violet Stanford, who made it five wins from as many starts winning the Group 1 Vicbred final at Melton on September 16, landed 75 per cent of the votes to easily win the Australian 2YO Trotting Filly of the Year.

NSW youngsters dominated the 2YO Trotting Colt or Gelding of the Year division with a dead-heat between the NSW-based Valtino, who won six of his 11 starts, and Maximus Meridius (eight wins).

The David Miles-trained Rocknwithattitude added the 3YO Filly of the Year title to the 2YO crown she won the previous year with a whopping 90 per cent of votes. She raced 12 times last season for eight wins, two seconds and banked $203,940.

In a stirring battle, Queenslander Not As Promised  upstaged NSW-based London To A Brick to win the 3YO Colt or Gelding crown.

The Graham Dwyer-trained Not As Promised landed 45 percent of votes, driven by his wins in the Victoria Trotters’ Derby and Breeders Crown finals.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Australia