Champion trotter Just Believe retires

Australasia’s trotting superstar of the modern era Just Believe (Orlando Vici) has been retired.

Trainer Jess Tubbs and her husband driver Greg Sugars made the announcement this morning on social media, after what must have been an emotional and heart-breaking decision process for connections.

It comes after the eight-year-old experienced health issues while campaigning in New Zealand late last year.

“With a tinge of sadness, but an overwhelming sense of pride, we announce the retirement of our champion, Just Believe,” the couple said in the post on the Larajay Farm Facebook page.

“We could list the races he won, or the money he earned, but it was the hearts he captured around the world that really set Harry apart.”

The courageous square gaiter powered his way to superstar status after the couple took over his preparation from former trainer Michael Hughes, who had won eight races with Just Believe, elected to change direction from harness racing.

The gelding ran second at his first start for the Tubbs-Sugars team, but the ensuing six months demonstrated the extent of Just Believe’s potential.

He won the Shepparton and Kilmore Cups and the Bill Collins Sprint (Gr 1) before making a clean sweep of the December 2022 Inter Dominion series in Victoria. He won EB Cochran Trotters Cup (Gr 3), Woodlands Stud Great Southern Star Final and the Australian Trotting Grand Prix (Gr 1) – 10 wins from 15 starts over that period.

Just Believe captured the imagination of the industry in May 2023 when Sugars and Tubbs ventured to Sweden to campaign against the best trotters in the world in The Elitloppet – a campaign in which the gelding was luckless, but lost no admirers.

Just Believe had a long let up on his return home, and his return to racing with a win at Bendigo in November 2023 was a prelude to yet another clean sweep in the Inter Dominion in December.

In February 2024, one of the great battles of square gaiting seen on Australian soil ensued in the Great Southern Star Final.  Just Believe and Callmethebreeze were dominant in their heats and the scene was set for an epic final two hours later, when, in a spine-tingling contest, Callmethebreeze held out a gallant Just Believe by a half-neck.

Just Believe won three races from his next four at Melton before a New Zealand campaign. In April-May 2024, he had four starts for four wins in elite company: the Waikato $600,000 TAB Trot slot race, the Lyell Creek (Gr 2), the Peter Brecken Memorial (Gr 1) and the Rowe Cup (Gr 1), all at Alexandra Park.

JUST BELIEVE WINNING THE DOMINION TROT

Just Believe wasn’t seen until August 2024 and won his next five, the last on Australian soil being the Community Bank Maryborough Gold Trotters Cup (Gr 3).

In November, Just Believe returned to New Zealand to win the Dominion Trot (Gr 1), but finished second to Oscar Bonavena at his final start in the New Zealand Trotting Freeforall (Gr 1) on November 15.

“His incredible strength and determination to win were second to none and we couldn’t be more grateful for the journey he has taken us on,” Tubbs and Sugars said.

“A huge thank you to all of Harry’s owners for the opportunity they gave us with this incredible horse.

“In the end it was Harry’s refusal to give up that has brought about his retirement, with us no longer able to trust him to tell us when things were getting sore.

“He has nothing left to prove and his welfare remains paramount.

“Happy retirement Harry. We’re sure going to miss you around the barn.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink