Millionaire Victorian pacer Better Eclipse has moved to Western Australia for the twilight of his stellar career.
The seven-year-old, who boasts three Group 1 victories amongst his 24 wins and almost $1.4 million, has joined the powerhouse Gary Hall Sr stable with a view to the $450,000 Group 1 WA Pacing Cup at Gloucester Park on December 12.
It ends a long and hugely successful stint with Jess Tubbs and the late Greg Sugars, where Better Eclipse was transformed from a virtual unknown into one of the best pacers in Australasia.
Along with his Australian Group 1 wins in the Chariots Of Fire and Sunshine Sprint, Better Eclipse also scored at Group 1 level in last year’s Auckland Cup.
Notably, Better Eclipse also finished second to the great Leap To Fame in the 2023 Brisbane Inter Dominion final.
His transformation and surge to the top was one of harness racing’s great stories.
Better Eclipse hasn’t raced since finishing second in a free-for-all at Melton on August 9.
“I love the horse. I’m just glad he’s gone to a good stable who will look after him well,” Tubbs said.
Better Eclipse further bolsters Hall Sr’s WA Pacing Cup stocks, headed by his emerging superstar Mister Smartee, winner of the huge Nullarbor/Fremantle Cup double earlier this year.
The lightly raced and promising Tubbs-trained Chasing Rex, a winner of five of his 20 starts, is owned in the same interests as Better Eclipse and has also joined Hall Sr’s stable.
In other Tubbs stable news, TAB Eureka runner Fighter Command’s immediate racing plans are on hold after his below par run at Menangle last Saturday week.
“He just wasn’t himself at all on the night,” Tubbs said. “Whether it was the occasion, the crowd, I’m not sure, but he was off his tree and only got to do one warm up lap.
“In the race itself, he never really paced right.
“We’ve paused everything and it’s all about the horse’s welfare now.
“I’m getting a bone scan on him this week so see if there’s something we don’t know about.”
Despite those developments, Tubbs was still on a high after winning two of the feature Nutrien Trotting finals with Tracy The Jet and Howdy Mate at Melton last Saturday night.
“To bounce back after the disappointment of the Eureka and have a night like that was terrific,” she said.
“Winning big races for great people like we did last weekend is what it’s all about.”
Howdy Mate is part-owned by top US trainer Nancy Takter and Australasia’s leading harness racing presenter, the now NZ-based Brittany Graham.
“That was a heck of a thrill, especially sharing it with Jess and Nancy,” Graham said.
Three-year-old filly Tracy The Jet has won five of 10 starts for passionate owner Dom Martello.
“That one was really special. Dom’s been one of our biggest supporters since Greg (Sugars) died and it means a lot to help him win a big one like that.”
PHOTOS:
Better Eclipse – Dan Costello
Fighter Command – Eliza Howlett
