Hes a heavenly horse

Emerging harness racing three-year-old Hes From Heaven (Sweet Lou) continued the recent domination of his age group at Melton when he overcame an early race gallop to take out the Garrards Horse & Hound 3YO Pace. 

Favorite backers were on good terms with themselves when Hes From Heaven landed one out one back in the small six horse field however the race changed complexion when the popular elect galloped with 1600 metres to go. 

Hes From Heaven lost 20 metres before tacking onto the body of the field and was still a clear last with 500 metres to travel. 

Once Sugars pulled the son of Sweet Lou to the outside he rounded the leaders up with giant strides in the home straight getting up to grab Our Luciano on the line. 

Hes From Heaven has now saluted at his past six starts including five at headquarters. 

"OH, HE IS A HEAVENLY HORSE!"
Hes From Heaven produces an incredible performance to win the Garrards Horse and Hound 3YO Pace after galloping in the early stages. That makes four Melton winners for trainer Jess Tubbs and three for driver Greg Sugars! pic.twitter.com/dIA8aDDdqb

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) August 17, 2024

Sugars admitted ‘pilot error’ contributed to the early race blunder. 

“I thought he was up against it tonight and he didn’t need anything to go wrong to make things any harder,  but it certainly did and it was completely my mistake,” Sugars said. 

“He got a bit keen and drifted off the track and we hit Jackie’s wheel when he galloped and I thought it was well and truly race over then,  but to his credit he knuckled down really well and it was a fantastic win,” he said. 

Sugars said he thought Hes From Heaven could figure in the finish at the top of the home straight. 

“Just upon straightening I thought that I was still a realistic chance here of being in the money,” he said. 

Sugars said Hes From Heaven has continued to improve with each race start. 

“He’s certainly got his fair share of ability and he’s showed from the start of this prep that he is going to be a being a serious metro class horse,” he said. 

“Every week we’ve seen a little bit more from him, how much more improvement is in him is a little bit hard to tell. 

He was such a rogue early to get going and he’s done an amazing job to come this far and there are a couple of nice races coming up being a three-year-old. 

Hopefully he will keep developing as a four-year-old and we can aim him at the serious four-year-old races next season.” 

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink