Just Believe - Bill Collins Trotters Sprint 2024 Photo by Stuart McCormick
CHAMPION trotter Just Believe just keeps answering the challenges.
Having returned home from last year's daunting Swedish trip as an even better horse, Just Believe then conquered New Zealand with four wins from as many starts across the ditch earlier this year.
The emergence of star French import Callmethebreeze loomed as his latest challenge, but Just Believe answered that in the most emphatic style – at least for now – with victory in last Saturday night's $75,000 Group 1 Bill Collins Trotters' Sprint at Melton.
Despite sitting parked, Jess Tubbs' rising nine-year-old lifted after looking in trouble to run down a gallant leader, Ollivici and win by 1.4m in a slick 1min54.1sec mile rate for 1720m, just one second outside the track record.
"I knew he would rally 'cause he always does fight so hard," driver Greg Sugars said.
"I was a bit concerned when Chris (Lang) pushed the button on Ollivici upon straightening, and I thought we had a bit of a fight on our hands here."
"We were pretty happy with him going in after a five-week break, but he was going to be slightly vulnerable tonight, so winning in the way we did was very pleasing."
The win also propelled Just Believe back to the top of the Australian Trotting Masters table, which Callemthebreeze led going into the Bill Collins.
Just Believe banked 100 points for the win to go to 260 points, clear of Callmethebreeze on 221.
The last of the six legs of the series is the Sydney Inter Dominion final at Menangle on December 14.
Before then, Just Believe has another trip across the ditch for the $NZ400,000 Group 1 Dominion Trot at Addington on November 12.
Just Believe, who now boasts nine Group 1 victories, won the Australian Trotting Masters crown for the first time last year.
