Emotion overflows after Australian filly dominates The Ascent

For a few tear-soaked minutes at Addington on Friday there were no borders.

No Australia, no New Zealand, no nationalistic racing pride, no sides.

Tracy The Jet may have lived up to her name leading throughout in the $500,000 Ascent to continue the total Australian harness racing domination of this week at Addington yet that wasn’t what was on anybody’s mind.

This was about brave trainer Jess Tubbs and her late husband Greg Sugars.

Tubbs trains the Victorian trotting filly and brought her back to Addington, the place Greg drove their champion trotter Just Believe to win the Dominion this time last year.

But Greg wasn’t there on Friday. He died in his sleep in April after a shock medical event in New South Wales where he was campaigning the couple’s horses.

Tubbs had understandable trepidation about coming back to Addington, last year’s carnival having meant so much to her and Greg.

“It was hard coming back after what we did here last year,” says Tubbs.

“I watched the race in the stable and straight away there were tears, tears from everybody.

“It means a lot to do this, to come back here and have something nice happen. But of course it makes me think of Greg.”

TRACY THE JET REPLAY

While nothing can compare with what Tubbs has been through these last seven months the gravity of the moment was felt around Addington, nowhere more so than in the stabling area that houses the close-knit harness racing participants.

There was admiration, for trainer, horse and driver James Herbertson, the young Victorian superstar who has been a rock for Tubbs in recent months.

As it turned out, after the incredible sentiment of the build-up, the race itself was a stroll.

Tracy The Jet rolled along in front as her Kiwi rivals played dodgem cars in behind and at the end it was left to fellow Victorian filly Gatesys Gem to chase her home after sitting in her slipstream.

Tracy The Jet will stay in Canterbury for a week and compete in either the New Zealand Trotting Derby or NZ Oaks at Addington next Friday. She will be favourite in either.

The man who was missing at Addington would be proud.

For complete race results, click here.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand