Just Believe has possibly saved his best for last

Greg Sugars thinks Aussie trotting harness racing star Just Believe (Orlando Vici) may have saved his best for last in his third and final Swedish race.

Just Believe is second favourite behind Sweden’s most exciting and arguably best trotter, Francesco Zet, in the $A400,000 Norbottens Grand Prix (2140m) in Boden, 12 hours north of Stockholm.

The race is scheduled for 6.46am Sunday (Melbourne time), which is 10.46pm Saturday in Boden.

“It’ll still be broad daylight,” Sugars said. “This time of year it’s basically daylight the whole day we are so close to the Arctic Circle.”

That’s why this race is known as the “Race of the Midnight Sun.”

Sugars has been thrilled Just Believe since arriving in Boden last Sunday.

“He’s really thrived over here. He’s in great order and feeling a million dollars heading into this week’s race,” he said.

Just Believe gained some serious credibility on a global stage when an eye-catching third to Swedish stars Hail Mary and Click Bait last Saturday in the Jamtlands Grand Prix in Ostersund. It followed his heartbreaking Elitlopp heat run when he was tightened for room on the home bend and galloped while travelling strongly.

“That was as good as a win for us, not just personally but for us (Down Under) as an industry,” Sugars said.

“He hasn’t had anything go right on this trip on the track and with draws, but he’s shown he’s a capable horse racing at this level and it’s really surprised a lot of the locals here. I think they are starting to take a lot more notice of our horses.

“The time (last week) was phenomenal, it equated to somewhere near a 1min53sec mile rate for 2140m which is quite amazing – to cover that much extra ground late and hit the ground so strongly late speaks volumes for how good the run was.”

Sugars said he had mixed feelings about having to race against buzz trotter Francesco Zet this week.

“He’s going for his 14th straight win and, by all reports, he might be the best horse in Sweden, so it’s not ideal running into him. But I am looking forward to seeing him,” he said.

“They bypassed the Elitlopp with Francesco Zet and the word on the street was if he ran in it, we were all running for second behind him, he’s supposed to be that good.

“The form experts are saying we’re a very strong top three chance, so we’re certainly not out of it.”

In contrast to horror barriers in his first two races, Just Believe has gate five this time.

“I’m told it’s a good draw. It’s certainly a big help compared to the past couple of runs,” Sugars said.

“Everything points to him running a big race again this week and that would be great off the back of him proving himself last week.”

Sugars will then take Just Believe back by road for 12 hours to Stig Johansson’s stables in Stockholm where he will spell before heading to Germany for two weeks in quarantine.

“He’s booked to fly back home on July 28 and then he’s got another two week’s quarantine at Mickelham once he gets back,” he said.

Just Believe’s first major aim back home will be a defence of his Inter Dominion title at Albion in December.

by Adam Hamilton for Harness Racing Australia