Top trotters to battle at Ballarat

Saturday night’s (Jan. 20) Ballarat meeting should have trotting fans salivating at the prospect of a late Christmas present when the harness racing field faces the starter in The Knight Pistol.

Dual Inter Dominion champion Just Believe (Orlando Vici) heads a line up described by Yabby Dam Farms principal Pat Driscoll as ‘the best field of trotters we’ve seen in the past 10 to 15 years.

And for Driscoll it will be a case of not knowing where to look once the mobile releases the field.

Driscoll owns Just Believe, whom he leases out to the Iona Trotter Syndicate, along with Group 1 winning mares Im Ready Jet and Visionary.

But it is the Italian bred stallion Callmethebreeze (Trixton) that promises to have the butterflies circling in Driscoll’s stomach come race time.

A chance conversation with a couple of bloodstock agents at last year’s Elitlopp caused Driscoll’s ears to prick.

“Philippe Allaire who trained Callemethebreeze had indicated to these agents that the horse was going to be the next big thing in Europe,” Driscoll recalls.

In 2021 Callmethebreeze captured both the elimination and final of the Orsi Mangelli, one of the most prestigious races for three- year- olds in the world.

“For whatever reason the horse didn’t reach those heights and they indicated that Philippe had him up for sale,” he said.

Callmethebreeze caught Driscoll’s eye when finishing second in both his heat and final of the Swedish Cup on Elitlopp weekend.

Of the several race track performers of international standard that Driscoll has imported to Australia in recent years Driscoll rates Callmethebreeze as ‘easily the best’

“He is a very good horse,” he said.

Driscoll though is realistic with what to expect from Callmethebreeze, who hasn’t raced since July last year, on Saturday night.

“He has had one soft trial and then another trial at Melton where he was only asked to run home so he will go into the race underdone,” he said.

While it is unlikely driver Nathan Jack will attempt to find the bottom of the six-year-old from barrier three, Driscoll believes Callmethebreeze would ‘cross those inside him for fun if Nathan pressed the button’.

It’s likely that Callmethebreeze will still be searching for peak fitness during next month’s Great Southern Star series however Driscoll is looking forward to his subsequent outings.

“I would think he will be competitive against our best trotters in three or four starts time,” he said.

Bookmakers have installed Callmethebreeze as a $6 second elect behind the $1.50 Just Believe while the pole marker Mufasa Metro ($9.50) is the only other runner under double figures.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink