ID22 trotting champ has more to give

Top reinsman Greg Sugars is hoping an even better version of Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final winner Just Believe (Orlando Vici) will emerge in harness racing season 2023.

The seven-year-old will make his highly-anticipated return to racing in this Saturday night’s (Jan. 21) E B Cochran Trotters Cup at Bray Raceway for what is his first start since December 10’s ID22 triumph.

Just Believe was in his maiden preparation for trainer Jess Tubbs when he won the Inter Dominion decider and will tackle the Cochran first-up from a brief break.

“Generally speaking, we’ve found in the past that horses that come straight here and continue on racing, that they generally do benefit from a little break at some stage and find another length or two for their next preparation,” Sugars said during Tuesday’s special Ballarat Pacing Cup barrier draw broadcast on RSN.

“We’re really hoping that he’s no exception to that and he can find a little bit more up his sleeve going forward.”

“And I think he’s going to need to moving forward. The trotting ranks are only going to get stronger and have more depth in them… he’s going to have to keep stepping up to the plate if he wants to stay in the form that he’s been in.”

Just Believe was set to appear at Ballarat on Tuesday, but will tackle the Cochran without the benefit of a trial.

“We’re really happy with him,” Sugars said.

“He worked really well this morning here at home – he had a great hit-out here – so there’ll be no excuses from missing a trial heading into Saturday.”

Just Believe will start from barrier 12 in a race jam-packed with talent. Aldebaran Zeus, who won the Group 1 Maori Mile at his last start, joins Just Believe on the back row alongside John Justice’s Mufasa Metro, Anton Golino-trained pair Im Ready Jet and Hopeful Beauty and Kate Hargreaves’ Cobram Cup champ Dont Care.

LISTEN TO TUESDAY’S FULL RSN BROADCAST FROM BALLARAT

The Cochran is leg two of the rich Aurora Australis series, which took in the Maori Mile and includes eight trotting events throughout January and February.

Points are allocated to the first five place-getters in each race, with the owner of the winning horse receiving a $50,000 bonus.

Tubbs and Sugars will also prepare Triple Eight (American Ideal) for Saturday night’s PETStock Ballarat Pacing Cup.

The eight-year-old came up with barrier 10 and will look to improve off his eye-catching fourth placing in the Bendigo Pacing Cup on January 7.

“We think he’s probably going as good as ever,” Sugars said.

“There’s no doubt that over the last six to 12 months, the open class ranks have definitely got more depth to them and have made life a little bit tougher for him due to his racing pattern.

“He needs a fair bit of luck and needs the right trip at this level of racing to really show his best, and it’s harder to get that more often than not when there’s so many quality horses up against you.

“We think the horse is still going pretty much as well as what we’ve ever had him going – we just think the competition has lifted.

“But having said that, he’s still a threat in these sorts of races when he gets everything go his way and he’s on song.”

Triple Eight will go around as one of the outsiders on Saturday night, with Sugars looking to capture his second Ballarat Pacing Cup after winning it with A Gs White Socks in 2020.

The TAB opened David Aiken-trained Cranbourne as favourite for the race following his win in last weekend’s Shepparton Gold Cup and after coming up with what looks a favourable barrier three draw.

Ray Green’s dual New Zealand Cup winner Copy That and hometown hero Rock N Roll Doo are also well fancied, while Major Meister is shortest of Jason Grimson’s three runners in the race.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for HRV