TAB Trot: NZ’s richest ever harness race draws one of the deepest trotting fields in 25 years

NZ Herald·

10 Apr, 2024 05:35 PM4 mins to read

Just Believe winning at Milton Park. Photo / Stuart McCormick

Aussie trotting hero Just Believe has starred all over the world but he may have to go to a new peak to win New Zealand’s richest ever trotting race tomorrow night.

The little Aussie who could is the dominant favourite for the $600,000 TAB Trot, the first ever slot trotting race held in this part of the world and one that threatens to even upstage the $1 million Race by Grins at Cambridge.

The 2200m mobile has drawn one of the deepest trotting fields on either side of the Tasman in 25 years with Just Believe, former French trotter Callmethebreeze and the Kiwi pair of Muscle Mountain and Oscar Bonavena all bonafide stars.

It is Just Believe who has the runs on the board, though, having won two Inter Dominions, a Great Southern Star and also winning over a legion of new fans with brave placings in Scandinavia last year.

For all that his personable driver Greg Sugars knows Just Believe’s past accomplishments will count for little tomorrow night, even from a handy barrier 3.

“I am sure he is going as good as he was when he won those great races but I think the standard of opposition has improved,” says Sugars.

“You have Callmethebreeze, who is a very good horse, and Arcee Phoenix is a very fast horse as we saw when he beat us back home last start.

“And then you have the Kiwi trotters who are really good headed by Muscle Mountain and Oscar Bonavena.

“So to beat all of them he might need his best ever performance in this part of the world and I think he is ready for that.”

Sugars says the race is too finely balanced to accurately predict tactics.

“It is such a strong field I am glad we have a good draw,” says Sugars.

“I think the start will be really interesting with all our (Australian) horses together and then you have the Kiwi horses who are so good who can come into the race probably later.

“So whoever wins is going to need to be a very good horse.”

Sugars is all but resigned to one of his fellow Victorians leading early as they have naturally higher gate speed but even if Just Believe ends up parked he has won elite levels races from there before.

But he has found that harder in recent months so those taking the short odds will be hoping to see him on the markers or, even better, in the one-one.

Arcee Phoenix will take enormous catching if he behaves and leads, albeit Cambridge will be no place for the easily distracted on Friday night while the best version of Callmethebreeze can win either leading or swooping and his $4.50 opening quote looks overs.

All Kiwi harness fans know how good Muscle Mountain and Oscar Bonavena are but Muscle Mountain in particular faces a tough night at the office because it is hard to see him leading early and his best case scenario may be sitting parked for the last lap.

He can win because he is so brilliant but again, like Just Believe, he may need to go to a new peak.

Sugars and wife and trainer Jess Tubbs also have Better Eclipse in The Race by Grins, which he finished fourth in last season after starting from the same barrier 7 he faces tomorrow night.

“He is not a horse who likes to burn early so the draw won’t affect his racing pattern too much but it means we will need some speed early so they come back to him late,” says Sugars.

“It is a good even race though and I can see the favourites being on the speed so it is not going to be an easy race for those of us needing luck.”