One Over All puts best hoof forward

Enigmatic trotter One Over All (Angus Hall) was on his best behavior when he rounded up his harness racing rivals in the I Didn’t Do It Free For All at Melton. 

The Jess Tubbs trained gelding was giving the leaders and more fancied runners a sizeable start with a lap to travel from his extreme barrier. 

Greg Sugars made a three wide move on his own behind One Over All and the son of Angus Hall loomed up three wide around the home turn before reeling in the $2.50 favorite Ollivici down the straight with Hephaestus Phoenix in third place. 

The winner finished off the race with an impressive 27.9 last 400 metres. 

Greg Sugars drives One Over All to victory in the first at Melton tonight – TAB I Didnt Do It Trotters Free For All for trainer Jess Tubbs. pic.twitter.com/44ykm7qw1P

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) May 18, 2024

Sugars was relieved One Over All produced his best racing manners on the night. 

“He’s a real handful of a horse as we know and can mix his form on certain days when he is not in the right mood, but thankfully he returned back to his good self tonight and got the job done,” Sugars said. 

“He’s a very strong animal as we know through a lot of the country cups that he has been able to win and he’s also very fast when he is sat up for one run, so it is no surprise to see him run time like he has tonight,” he said. 

Sugars said One Over All may have raced himself out of future standing start country cups. 

“We’ve tried to target the country cups and stand start races but he’s getting a lot stronger nowadays and the handicaps are getting pretty hard for him,” he said   

“Hopefully we can focus on these types of races for him if we can get him to behave from the mobile.” 

The royally bred six-year-old, an eight times country cup winner, has now won 20 of his 66 starts for stake earnings of more than 275,000. 

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink