Victoria's utter domination of the ID23 Trotting Championship continued in the second round of heats at Albion Park.
The Chris Lang and Sonia Mahar trained Ollivici continues to emerge during the series making it back to back heat wins in the fourth heat.
Sent out a $6.50 chance in the fourth heat, Ollivici had the task of taking the rest of the field up to the $1.50 favorite Queen Elida and Gus who partook in a two horse war during the first lap of the race.
Just when Queen Elida was being hailed the winner, Ollivici and Lang thundered down the middle of the home straight to grab victory by a short half head with Gus a metre away third in a mile rate of 1:56.2.
Lang said the win wasn’t as straight forward as it appeared.
“It wasn’t that easy as I had to do all the donkey work bringing the others up to the two tear away leaders,” Lang said.
Lang was delighted with the performance of the five-year-old son of Orlando Vici.
“He had to sustain a long run and then go three wide on the bend- he did very well,” he said.
The remaining heat may well have provided a preview for the Grand Final when the series favorite Just Believe and opening round heat winner Plymouth Chubb engaged in a battle royal all the way down the Albion Park home straight.
The pair cleared out from their rivals around the home turn and it was Just Believe who poked his head in front in the shadows of the post scoring by a neck with another Victorian Mufasa Metro nine metres away third.
The win provided stallion Orlando Vici with a clean sweep of the night’s heats.
Sugars said Just Believe’s will to win was evident from when the horse first arrived at Larajay.
“It was one of the first things that struck us when we first got this horse was that he can be a bit casual at times but when the business end is there he just goes to another level and you don’t really have to ask him,” Sugars said.
“And you can’t train that into them, they have either got that or they haven’t and thankfully he’s got it,” he said.
“He’s an all-round package and we’re thrilled to bits to have him.”
Just Believe’s stable mate Better Eclipse will be Victoria’s lone flag bearer in the Pacing Grand Final after finishing a gallant second in his heat behind Nerano.
Better Eclipse sat parked for the final lap of the race and beat all bar the fast finishing Nerano in a mile rate of 1:54.1.
Sugars though was more than satisfied with the five- year- old’s effort.
“I don’t think he can go any better than that, “Sugars said
“We ran a very fast last quarter just beaten by a better horse on the night with a great run who was just too fast up the straight, but he’s come through it very well,” Sugars said.
It’s back to the drawing board for Michael Stanley and Rock N Roll Doo after that pacer finished second last behind Speak The Truth in his heat following on from his seventh placing in the opening round of heats.