Aussie News - August 11

By Adam Hamilton

Champion Aussie trotter Just Believe is close to a racetrack return as he prepares for another NZ raid.

The globetrotting megastar cruised around in what was effectively a one horse trial at Melton last week when his only rival galloped at the start.

Trainer Jess Tubbs said the $30,000 Shepparton Trotters’ Cup, a mobile free-for-all, could be a kick-off race.

"It's possible, but not a lock," she said. "We're in no rush and may look to trial him again, but going to Shepparton is an option."

Just Believe hasn’t raced since finishing his unbeaten NZ raid earlier this year with victory in the Rowe Cup.

Excitingly, Just Believe is a lock for the massively boosted NZ Cup Week at Addington, where his main aim will be the $400,000 Dominion, which is now on Cup Day.

"What a great move to have it Cup Day," driver Greg Sugars said.

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The rapid rise of IRT NZ Cup hopeful Major Moth continued at Albion Park last night.

The former Group 1-winning juvenile made it two sparkling wins from as many starts for new trainer Jason Grimson when he cruised home by 6.2m and a 53.7sec last half to win the free-for-all at Albion Park last night.

“He’s pretty exciting,” Grimson said. “We had the chance to give him a couple of runs in restricted class up here (Brisbane) and now he heads back to Menangle.

“I’ll give him one more run there and then he’ll go to the Len Smith Mile.”

Grimson has made no secret of the fact Major Moth and defending champion Swayzee are his two major contenders for this year’s IRT NZ Cup.

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Another week and another win for former NZ Oaks winner Aardiebytheseaside in Perth.

The four-year-old took on the boys for the first time last Friday night and did it comfortably to stretch her unbeaten run to five races since moving to WA and Team Bond’s stables.

Driver Deni Roberts, who insists the mare can match it with the open-class boys in time, worked forward to find the lead, but the Aardiebyseaside then got very keen in front.

She held on to win by 1.5m in a 1min55.7sec mile rate for 2130m, taking her career record to 13 wins and eight placings from just 26 starts.

It was a big night for Team Bond, who also landed the quinella in the free-for-all with the exciting Tenzing Bromac just doing enough to beat stablemate Jett Star.

The feature of the night, the $100,000 Diamond Classic for two-year-old fillies, went to Sweet Lou filly Roby Lovera.

Trainer Justin Prentice watched from NSW where he is preparing stable star Never Ending for the $2.1mil TAB Eureka on September 7.

Never Ending, $4 favourite for the Eureka, arrived in Sydney last Friday and will have a lead-up race at Menangle on August 24.

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Don't panic if you are a fan of glamour mare Aardie's Express.

Owner Mike Tanev said the Group 1 winner would be back racing on Saturday week.

“She had a snotty nose, probably from the drive back from Brisbane,” he said.

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Rehuvebated gelding Jimartee has certainly franked the Leap To Fame form from the recent Blacks A Fake.

Jimartee ran sixth, beaten out of sight, in the Blacks A Fake but came out at his first run since and smashed the clock at Albion Park last night.

The Cristina Monte-trained seven-year-old led throughout with a 1min49.8sec mile rate for 1660m.

Jimartee beat Blacksadance, who holds the track record at 1min49.2sec.

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Star mare Major Delight might have raced herself into the $2.1mil TAB Eureka.

With slots opening up, the four-year-old looks a huge chance of gaining a start after posting her 21st win from just 26 starts in the Norms Daughter Stakes (1609m) at Menangle last night.

Despite sitting parked, the daughter of Bettors Delight dug deep to snatch a head win over leader My Moonlite Dream in a slick 1min50.3sec mile.

There now looks to be four of the 10 slot open for the TAB Eureka on September 7.

Long-time favourite and Chariots Of Fire winner Frankie Ferocious was withdrawn last week, while The Lost Storm flopped again at Melton and must be in huge doubt.

Major Delight has lots of similarities to inaugural TAB Eureka winner Encipher, being a four-year-old mare trained by Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin.

Recent Queensland Derby runner-up Bay Of Biscay, a stablemate of Major Delight, also looks right in the mix for a slot.

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Dual Newcastle Mile winner Mach Dan returned to peak winning form in a strong free-for-all at Melton last night,

The rising eight-year-old burned early in an unsuccessful quest to lead before trailing Yambukian and then overpowering him late in a brisk 1min53sec mile rate for 2240m.

It was Mach Dan’s 27th win and edged him to within a whisker of $950,000 in career earnings.

The biggest talking points of the race were the failures of Catch A Wave and The Lost Storm.

Catch A Wave, first-up since two Group 1 wins in Perth, raced miles below his best despite an easy run and finished 16m from the winner in seventh spot.

The Lost Storm did have to sit parked, but weakened badly in the last 400m to finish 19m away in eighth spot.