Aussie News - August 18

Just Believe's triumphant return, Leap To Fame's return to work and the reasoning behind Swazee not returning to defend the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup are all part of this week's Aussie News.

By Adam Hamilton

Champion trotter Just Believe returned to racing with an easy win at Melton last night and fans won’t have to wait long to see him again.

Having his first start since that dominant Rowe Cup win at Alexandra Park on May 24, Just Believe barely raised a sweat winning the Aldebaran Park free-for-all in a 1min56.5sec mile rate for 2240m.

That’s despite sitting parked outside the classy Mufasa Metro, who ran second to him in last year’s Brisbane Inter Dominion final.

Just Believe is set to back up on Tuesday in the $30,000 Shepparton Trotters’ Cup as the lone back row runner (gate eight) in a race lacking depth.

“It was good to see him run up to his work at home and do it comfortably,” trainer Jess Tubbs. “You can only marvel at him sometimes.”

The rising nine-year-old is building towards another NZ trip where the $400,000 Dominion Trot on IRT NZ Cup Trotting Day will be his major target.

Just Believe capped a big night for Tubbs, who trained a treble. They were all trotters with the other being Exalted and Dichotomy.

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Megastar pacer and IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup favourite Leap To Fame is back in full work as prepares his next Group 1 target.

Trainer-driver Grant Dixon said the five-year-old had freshened-up well since his hectic and hugely successful home state Queensland winter campaign.

“He seems great. He was never going to have long out, but he wasn’t a tired horse despite all the big races,” he said.

“It’s one of the remarkable things about him, he bounces out of those hard runs and is raring to go again straight away.

“I was just saying to Kevin (Seymour, owner) the other day, he’s never gone out for a break as a tired horse.”

Leap To Fame’s next major target is one of redemption in the $300,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton on October 12.

It’s a race he did all the work in only to be edged-out to finish third in a thrilling finish behind Act Now and Catch A Wave.

“Even though he ran really well, looking back I don’t think I had him as tight as he needed to be for a race like that,” Dixon said.

“He’s only had this short break, but I’ll still look to get three runs into him before the Victoria Cup. I’d say the first of them would be in the second week of September.”

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Swayzee won’t be back to defend his IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup crown, but his trainer Jason Grimson remains focused on winning it again.

Grimson revealed in an interview on Trackside’s Friday Night Lights show that Swayzee would not be crossing the ditch again this year.

Instead, the multiple Group 1 winner will stay in NSW to target the bolstered NSW Country Cups circuit – which carries a possible $1 million bonus – and the Inter Dominion series.

No doubt the prospect of avoiding the rampaging Leap To Fame, who is being set for Addington, was part of the decision.

“We’ve decided to play at home with him,” Grimson said.

“But that doesn’t mean I won’t be going back to try and win the (NZ) Cup again.

“Major Moth and District Attorney are the two horses I’m setting for it this year.”

District Attorney has raced five times for Grimson for two wins – including a shock victory over Leap To Fame – and two placings.

He ran second to Leap To Fame in the Group 1 Sunshine Sprint two starts back.

But he has never raced from a standing-start.

In contrast, former top-flight Victorian juvenile Major Moth won from a standing-start in Tasmania late last year while still trained by Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin.

Major Moth has turned heads everywhere with two sparkling Albion Park wins – albeit in moderate company – from his only starts since joining Grimson’s stable.

“I’ve got all the team back at Menangle now,” Grimson said. “Major Moth will run at Menangle next week and go to the (Group 1) Len Smith Mile (September 7).

“After that, we’re looking at the Victoria Cup before NZ.”

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Former star European trotter and Great Southern Star winner Callmethebreeze has changed stables.

An end to the long and successful relationship between leviathan owner-breeder Pat Driscoll’s Yabby Dams and trainer Anton Golino has seen Callmethebreeze join Andy Gath’s barn.

Callmethebreeze, who beat Just Believe in February’s Great Southern Star, trialled at Melton last Monday night and is about two weeks away from a return to racing.

He hasn’t raced since finishing second to Just Believe at Cambridge in the inaugural TAB Trot on April 12.

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Canadian owner Mike Tanev is bracing himself for a busy and exciting time with some of his Aussie-based stars.

Former NZ Oaks winner Aardiebytheseaside will step-out again at Gloucester Park on Friday night, while Queen Elizabeth winner Aardies Express is over a minor health setback following her Queensland trip and will race at Menangle on Saturday night.

His Queensland Oaks winner Aardie B Miki is also set to resume from a short freshen-up.

“She’ll go around on Saturday week at Albion Park,” he said, “she’ll have two runs at Albion Park and then head down for the Victoria Oaks (October at Melton).

“She’ll then go over to the (United) States because she’d have to run against (Aardies) Express if she stayed in Australia.

“She’ll be staked for all the mares races in the States.”

Aardies Flash, who won 10 races in NZ and Australia, will also continue his career in the US.

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Star filly Very Pretty made a big statement ahead of the upcoming Victoria Oaks with a stunning Melton win last night.

The daughter of American Ideal worked across to lead from a wide draw and smashed the clock with a 1min50.4sec mile rate for 1720m.

It was Very Pretty’s ninth win from just 10 starts.

Earlier in the night, stablemate Mach Dan was similarly impressive winning the free-for-all with in-form driver James Herbertson in the bike for trainer Emma Stewart.

The seven-year-old led throughout in a 1min54sec mile rate for 2240m and ripped home in 54sec and 26.5sec.

It will almost certainly get him a trip to Menangle for the $150,000 Group 1 Len Smith Mile on September 7.

Stablemate Perfect Class was a fantastic run for second and pushed his case strongly for one of the few remaining slots in the $2.1mil TAB Eureka on the same night at Menangle.

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What an old marvel Max Delight is.

The former Victoria Cup winner posted his 31st win at his 120th start when he paced a near career-best 1min50.1sec mile to win the free-for-all at Menangle last night.

It continued his fantastic season as an eight-year-old with six wins and six placings netting him over $230,000.

Earlier in the night, talented former Kiwi mare My Moonlite Dream thrashed her rivals in the mares’ fast-class race, winning by 11.6m in a 1min52sec mile for trainer-driver Seaton Grima.

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Classy Queensland four-year-old For Real Life is over an untimely setback and making his late charge for a TAB Eureka slot.

Trainer-driver Trent Dawson revealed the entire didn’t fire through his major Queensland targets because of an abscess which threw his bloods out.

But For Real Life was back buzzing last night, winning the $76,500 Group 2 Qbred Triad 4YO final in sparkling fashion, by 7.1m and in a 1min53.3sec mile rate for 2138m.

“Everything said we had him back and he showed it,” Dawson said, “hopefully some of the remaining TAB Eureka slot owners were watching.”