Reigning ID champ draws gate four

Just Believe’s (Orlando Vici) chance of joining Pride Of Petite, Sundons Gift and I Can Doosit as back-to-back Inter Dominion Trotting champions strengthened with a favourable harness racing draw for Saturday night’s final.

Connections plucked barrier number four for Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars’ European trailblazer, who tightened to a $1.20 favourite for the Albion Park final.

“We wanted a front row draw and (somewhere in) the middle inside half … was what we were thinking pre-draw and we’ve come up with that, so he looks very well placed on paper,” Sugars said.

“He’s an incredible animal. He’s so resilient, he’s very professional. Every day we think ourselves so lucky to have him in our stable, in our care. He’s kind of in the mold of being a once-in-a-lifetime type of horse.”

Just Believe has swept the heats, including victory by a half-neck over Plymouth Chubb, and his reinsman said he had “come through this series really well”.

“We were underdone going into the series a little bit after coming back from a spell from Sweden, he’s very well placed and we are extremely happy with where he’s at,” he said.

“He’s had a couple of Inter Dominion series now, one before we had him and obviously last year with us, so we’re obviously very confident of his ability to get through the series. He’s been there and done it before and fingers crossed he gets the job done (on Saturday).”

Fellow Victorians surround the champion, with John Justice’s Mufasa Metro (gate one), Brent Lilley’s Queen Elida (gate five) and Chris Lang’s Ollivici (gate six) also sharing the front row, while Peter Manning’s Plymouth Chubb will start from 11.

Sugars said Queen Elida loomed as their biggest threat.

“(Her last) two runs have been outstanding. She’s well and truly back to her best, so I’m pretty happy that we have the barrier draw advantage over her.”

Luck escaped the Victorians in the pacing championship, with Tubbs and Sugars’ hope Better Eclipse drawing gate 11, which would have him an easing $9 chance with TAB.

Instead punters flocked around Swayzee, who shortened from $2.80 straight after the draw into $2.20, overtaking an easing Leap To Fame for favourtism.

A Swayzee victory would make it three consecutive Inter Dominion pacing championships for trainer Jason Grimson after Boncel Benjamin and I Cast No Shadow won in preceding years.

“Swayzee’s put on a bit of weight through the series, which is good, he’ll probably cop a bit of work this week and we’ll have him ready to roll,” Grimson said of the New Zealand Cup champ.

“If he gets out in front or gets to the chair he’s hard to stop. You can never be too confident, but after the barrier draw it helps a lot.”

Grimson’s other key hope Nerano drew gate one to be on the third line of betting, with Leap To Fame to start from gate six for Grant Dixon.

by Michael Howard, for Harness Racing Victoria