Harry and Breeze to rev their engines in Grand Prix

Australian squaregaiting’s newest box-office hit is perfectly poised at one win apiece and the stage is set for some early fireworks when Just Believe (Orlando Vici) and Callmethebreeze (Trixton) lock horns in the formative stages of Saturday night’s TAB Australian Trotting Grand Prix.

Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars’ charge won his first clash with the European harness racing import at Ballarat on January 20 before Anton Golino and Nathan Jack’s six-year-old bounced back with success in an epic Great Southern Star Final on February 3.

Just Believe has gate one for this weekend’s Group 1, with Callmethebreeze to leave from four in the 2240m clash. The latter’s stablemate Im Ready Jet and Paddy Lee-prepared Keayang Ignite are sandwiched between the pair in barriers two and three, with class runners Keayang Chucky, Majestuoso and Arcee Phoenix completing the front line.

The draw has set up an intriguing start, but Sugars believes “Harry” has the toe to lead and control things at the head of affairs.

“He’s not a brilliant beginner, but he gets out very good. It takes a brilliant beginner to cross him when we ask him to come out,” Sugars said of Just Believe.

“I’m quietly confident he’ll be able to do enough to hold his position there. And one thing’s for sure: if that’s a possibility, that’s what we will be doing.

“If we can keep Callmethebreeze to our outside, that’s probably our best chance to try and turn the tables on him.”

Callmethebreeze drew inside Just Believe in their clash at Ballarat last month, but wasn’t asked to use his early speed as Jack took a one-one trail behind the Aussie star.

Jack loved what he felt from the son of Trixton in his dynamic front-running Great Southern Star heat victory and pointed to the horse’s gate speed there – when he led noted quick beginners Mufasa Metro and Hesallmuscle with ease – as something to consider.

“The last spot I want him (Just Believe) is on my back because I know how dangerous he’s going to be, but at the end of the day I’d rather him on my back than me be outside him,” Jack said.

“I’ve got to come off the gate for the first 20m and see what happens. You never know…

“If you just concede defeat straight away then you might as well stay home.”

Jack played down the notion of a rivalry between the two horses, but admitted he was excited about another battle against Australia’s pin-up trotter.

“They’re both great horses, but I don’t see it as a rivalry,” he said.

“It might be in three months’ time or six months’ time, but at the minute it’s not. It’s just one champion and another being the new kid on the block.

“I’m sure they’ve got a lot of respect for mine as I do for them.”

For complete race fields, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for HRV