Just Believe staying on in New Zealand – for now

Australia’s loss is New Zealand’s gain.

In an absolute coup for NZ’s upcoming feature harness racing meetings, champion Aussie trotter Just Believe (Orlando Vici) will stay in NZ rather than chase an historic third successive Inter Dominion title in NSW.

Co-trainers Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars made the final call today after days of uncertainty.

“It’s been a really tough call, not because of Just Believe, but more the two pacers (Better Eclipse and Hes From Heaven),” Tubbs said.

“There was no real upside in NSW for Just Believe, not when you weigh-up the prize money and having to race four times in the Inter Dominion, but we had to look at the pacing series very closely with Better Eclipse.

“We couldn’t do both. We couldn’t leave ‘Harry’ in NZ and do the Inter Dominion with Better Eclipse.

“In the end, Greg felt the best option was just to keep them all in NZ.”

It is a huge blow to an already decimated NSW Inter Dominion series.

Just Believe’s quest to become the first three-time Inter Dominion trotting champion, combined with his star power, was to be a major drawcard of the series, which starts at Newcastle on Friday week.

So, Tubbs and Sugars will continue to campaign four horses – One Over All being the other – in New Zealand over the coming months.

Just Believe brilliantly won his 10th Group 1 race in last Tuesday’s $400,000 Dominion Trot then ran second, after doing all the work, to Oscar Bonavena in last Friday’s $100,000 NZ Trotting free-for-all.

It was his first defeat in six NZ starts.

Better Eclipse atoned for a slightly disappointing NZ Cup run with a terrific second to Merlin in last Friday’s $200,000 Group 1 NZ Pacing free-for-all.

He’s already shown a love for NZ, having won the Group 1 Auckland Cup in May.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing New Zealand