Forgotten horse ready to make some noise

He is something of a forgotten horse in harness racing’s Victoria Cup picture, but young star Better Eclipse (Betterthancheddar) could change that at Melton on Saturday night (Oct. 1).

A gun barrier draw (gate two) makes Jess Tubbs’ four-year-old very hard to beat in the last of the Victoria Cup lead-up races, the $50,000 Group 2 Smoken Up Sprint (1720m).

Tubbs’ is making a late run at the Cup with her two open-class stable stars in Better Eclipse and Triple Eight (American Ideal), who resumes from a break against Better Eclipse from an inside back row draw (gate eight).

“It’s by design. They deserved a good break after Queensland (winter racing), especially with so many big races ahead, starting with the Victoria Cup and the Inter Dominion,” Tubbs said.

“We were a little bit disappointed with Triple Eight’s trial, but he’s older and seems to have just taken longer to come up.

“Both of them worked really well this morning (Tuesday), as good as they’ve ever worked.

“Better Eclipse is a bit more forward than Triple Eight so the draws have worked out well, with Better Eclipse drawn to be in the firing line and Triple Eight following in behind them.”

Tubbs confirmed her husband, top driver Greg Sugars, would take the reins on Better Eclipse, already a winner of the Chariots Of Fire and Sunshine Sprint at Group 1 level.

“Greg and I would love Bailey (McDonough) to drive Triple Eight and that’s with the owners to consider now,” she said.

Looking ahead to the Victoria Cup, Tubbs agreed the picture was very open.

“The free-for-all ranks are very interesting at the moment, almost chopping and changing by the week,” she said. “It’ll be good to see how our boys line-up with what is a good field this week.”

The powerhouse NSW Team McCarthy will have one, possibly two, Victoria Cup runners.

Expensive Ego (Rock N Roll Heaven) is the lock after he resumed from a long spell with a slick Menangle win. He’s been kept “on ice” since and will trial at Menangle earlier next week to sharpen-up.

With Spirit Of St Louis missing the Cup after a minor hiccup, Team McCarthy’s hopes of a second runner rest with classy former Kiwi pacer Mach Shard (Mach Three), who has to overcome an awful draw (gate seven, outside the front) in the Smoken Up Sprint.

Mach Shard will strip fitter for a first-up fourth in last week’s Kilmore Cup, but he will need a lot to go right to fight-out the finish from his terrible barrier this time.

Outstanding Kiwi raider Copy That (American Ideal) can snatch Victoria Cup favouritism from Expensive Ego with a win or huge showing in the Smoken Up.

The Ray Green-trained star improved off a tiring first-up run to make the most of a lovely trail and thrash his rivals in the Gammalite free-for-all two weeks ago.

Much interest will focus on Victorian buzz pacer Bondi Lockdown in the Smoken Up.

He looked one of the best pacers in the land when a monstrous second in the Chariots Of Fire (behind Better Eclipse) in February, but hasn’t finished better than third in just three starts since.

Bondi Lockdown (Somebeachsomewhere) burned early and tired for fifth when he resumed from a spell in the Gammalite free-for-all.

You also have to respect the ultra-consistent Torrid Saint, especially from the pole in the Smoken Up, and last season’s three-year-old superstar Act Now (gate five), who has blazing gate speed and returns from a spell for Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin.