Methven Cup goes to Aussie

It was his first race on a grass surface, but Australian harness racing gelding Better Eclipse (Betterthanchedder) handled it with ease and took out today’s $25,000 Group Three Methven 4 Square Supermarket Green Mile.

“He was quite relaxed for the most part of it. He thought he was out having a stroll in the paddock I think,” successful driver Greg Sugars who drove the horse for his partner Jess Tubbs said.

The six year old had to overcome a wide barrier draw but that proved not to be a problem.

“I was wider on the track than I anticipated from the word go, but there were obviously plenty of horses moving forward. I had cover for the majority of it and once he got up outside the leader I was pretty confident.”

Better Eclipse’s winning margin was half a length from One Change and the winning time was 1-57.5.

BETTER ECLIPSE REPLAY

“In about two weeks time he’ll head up to Auckland and run in the Franklin Cup, and the Auckland Cup a fortnight after that. Just Believe will race on those same two nights.”

Today’s win highlights the reason Tubbs and Sugars are racing Just Believe and Better Eclipse in New Zealand. Since April between them, they’ve won $651,025 in stakes in this country.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink