Addington witnesses a champion

Today’s large harness racing crowd at Addington were treated to a dominating display by a champion trotter when Australian Just Believe (Orlando Vici) won the Group One $400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion Handicap.

In doing so the Jess Tubbs trained trotter became a multi-millionaire, lifting his lifetime earnings to $2,015,845.
With his long list of credentials the result was widely expected and he was clearly head and shoulders above his opposition.

Driver Greg Sugars said, “He began reasonably well and I was happy to keep pressing forward assuming the front would be there for us. He was the best horse in the race and we took all luck out of the equation and I drove him that way. Quite often he’s quite relaxed when he’s in front. Off the back straight I had a good look around to see where all the main dangers were and I said go boy, catch us if you can. He really powered away.”

At the line Just Believe had a two and a half-length margin over Mighty Logan, with last year’s winner Oscar Bonavena a length and a half back in third.

JUST BELIEVE REPLAY

The winning time was 4-04.3.

The last Australian horse to win the Dominion was Scotch Notch in 1983 driven by Graeme Lang.

“It was before my time but everyone in harness racing knows who Scotch Notch was and my family had a great association with the Langs. To say we are there on the same honour roll as them is quite unbelievable really.”

Trainer Jess Tubbs took over the training of Just Believe in 2022 when he was a six year old and since the gelding has been in the stable he’s had thirty eight starts for thirty wins including ten Group Ones which include two Inter Dominion Finals, the Rowe Cup and now the Dominion Handicap.

“Jess doesn’t like the limelight. She was a nervous wreck this morning. I think she’s glad she’s not here.”

Just Believe also won The TAB Trot at Cambridge worth $600,000 and he’s fast closing in on Lyell Creek’s Group One record of eleven.

Sugars has driven Just Believe in twenty nine of those wins and the horse remains unbeaten in five starts in New Zealand where he’s now earned $674,000.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink