Just Believe ID23 Final Win Photo by Dan Costello
NOT even a lengthy stint on the other side of the world could stop champion trotter Just Believe blitzing his rivals to claim the 2023 Australian Trotting Masters’ title.
The seven-year-old, who finished 2022 by winning the Melbourne Inter Dominion, was almost faultless across the four Trotting Masters’ races he contested this season.
Just Believe kicked it off with his Group 1 Great Southern Star win on February 3 and added the Group 1 Australian Trotting Grand Prix just 22 days later.
His only blemish came with a terrific second to Aldebaran Zeus in the Group 1 Hammerhead Mile at Menangle on March 4, which was to be his last race before embarking on his amazing three-race Swedish adventure.
Just Believe didn’t race again in Australia until winning at Bendigo on November 17, which was to be his only lead-up race before his Inter Dominion title defence at Albion Park.
Just as he did 12 months earlier, the Jess Tubbs-trained gelding won all three heats of the series before adding the final.
The only difference this year was the arrogance and ease with which he won the Grand Final.
Just Believe had the Trotting Masters’ title won before the Inter Dominion series started, but what a way to ice it.
The 100 points for winning the Grand Final gave him 360 points for the season, 200 ahead of equal second placegetters Queen Elida and Musafa Metro, with Im Ready Jet a close fourth in 150 points.
Both Mufasa Metro and Queen Elida leap-frogged Im Ready Jet (who didn’t contest the Inter Dominion) with their second and third placings at Albion Park last Saturday night.
Mufasa Metro earned his big points at the top and tail of the year with seconds in the Great Southern Star and Inter Dominion finals. He also ran fourth in the Grand Prix and Group 1 Bill Collins Sprint.
Queen Elida won the Bill Collins and picked up points for placing third in the Inter Dominion final and fourth in the Great Southern Star.
Another globetrotter, Aldebaran Zeus, who had a short stint racing in the US, finished in fifth place with 120 points.
