Better Eclipse joins the $1M party

A.G. Hunter Cup aspirant Better Eclipse (Betterthancheddar) became the second harness racing horse to top the $1M in stake earnings at Melton on Saturday, completing a memorable half an hour for Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars Larajay Farm outfit.

Better Eclipse’s stable mate champion trotter Just Believe surpassed the same prizemoney milestone in the previous race. 

Sugars opted to surrender the lead to Bulletproof Boy on the $1.45 favorite and await his chances along the sprint lane while his main danger the Mark Purdon trained Don’t Stop Dreaming landed in the one out one back trail. 

Purdon made his move approaching the home turn and Don’t Stop Dreaming quickly loomed up ominously, however Sugars was able to ease out off the back of the leader and Better Eclipse sprinted quickly to outlast the Kiwi by half a head. 

Million dollar barrier eclipsed!

Better Eclipse shows his class and courage to clinch the $50,000 ALLIED EXPRESS CASSEY CLASSIC and take his earnings to $1m – giving Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars a memorable feature double at Melton tonight.

Bring on the AG Hunter Cup! pic.twitter.com/HvIyPSQl42

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) January 27, 2024

“He’s a great horse and for a horse who has just earned $1m he has probably flown under the radar for most of his career and has just kept getting the job done,” Sugars said.  

“He’s a wonderful horse and it was a great hit out for him tonight and hopefully there’s bigger things to come next week but Mark (Purdon) drove a great race and sprinted so quickly off the turn I thought that he may pinch a break on us,” he said.  

Sugars admitted he had concerns when Don’t Stop Dreaming was out and running on the home turn while he was awaiting the sprint lane. 

“Luckily, I was just able to get out underneath Don’t Stop Dreaming just in time and this horse knuckled down terrific down the straight,” he said.  

Sugars said the Summer Carnival wasn’t originally on Better Eclipse’s agenda. 

“It’s all worked out perfectly as coming back from Queensland it was such a grueling trip and in the past he was a horse who didn’t appreciate backing up, but this time around he has fully matured and handling it much better,” he said. 

“He came to hand so quickly after a short break that races like the Hunter Cup became a realistic chance.” 

Meanwhile Mark Purdon said Don’t Stop Dreaming would derive plenty of benefit from the run. 

“It was his first run since December 31 and he has blown up a bit across the back,” Purdon said.  

“It gives me confidence going into the Hunter Cup knowing that this run will improve him and he’ll be right there next week,” he said. 

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink