Just Believe joined some of the state’s greatest harness racing names as a back-to-back winner of the Victorian Horse of the Year crown on Monday night.
The late great Greg Sugars was at the forefront of everyone’s minds as the horse he drove to so many famous victories was acknowledged as the standout performer of 2024.
Sugars, who sadly passed away in April, teamed up with Just Believe to win an incredible 15 races last season, including Group 1 triumphs in the Australian Trotting Grand Prix and Bill Collins Trotters Sprint at Melton, and National Trot, Rowe Cup and Dominion Trot in New Zealand.
He also won the inaugural TAB Trot slot race at Cambridge during a memorable campaign that secured close to $1million in prizemoney for connections.
Trained by Sugars’ wife Jess Tubbs, bred and owned by Yabby Dam Farms and leased by the Iona Trotter Syndicate, Just Believe became the eighth standardbred and first trotter to receive the Victorian Horse of the Year award twice.
He joins greats of the track Gammalite (1982 and 1984), Shakamaker (2000 and 2001), Sokyola (2004 and 2005), Smoken Up (2011 and 2012), Caribbean Blaster (2013 and 2014), Lennytheshark (2016 and 2017) and Lochinvar Art (2020 and 2021) as dual winners.
Just Believe was voted the Victorian Horse of the Year ahead of finalists Keayang Zahara and Catch A Wave, who claimed the three-year-old trotting filly and aged pacing entire/gelding categories respectively.
The champion squaregaiter was also revealed as the next resident of Living Legends, with plans outlined for him to join fellow trotter Sundons Gift and around 40 stars of the thoroughbred world at the Greenvale retirement facility.
Time was called on Just Believe’s career early this year, with his 38 wins and 23 placings from 83 starts reaping $1,929,253 in earnings to leave him second to the mighty Lyell Creek on Australasian trotting’s rich list.
In front of more than 200 people at Melton Entertainment Park last night, Clinton Welsh was toasted as winner of Victorian harness racing’s highest individual honour, the Gordon Rothacker Medal, for his lifelong achievements as a trainer, driver and administrator, while Marg Lee claimed the Pearl Kelly Award for her outstanding contribution to the sport as a woman.
Master horseman Chris Lang Snr was inducted as a Caduceus Club of Victoria Living Legend, as Emma Stewart (state and metropolitan), James Herbertson (state), Mark Pitt (metro) and Ryan Sanderson (concession) were acknowledged for winning respective training and driving titles in 2024.
2024 AWARDS
Gordon Rothacker Medal - Clinton Welsh
Victorian Horse of the Year - Just Believe
Caduceus Club of Victoria Living Legend - Chris Lang Snr
Pearl Kelly Award - Marg Lee
Victorian Trainer of the Year – Emma Stewart
Metropolitan Trainer of The Year – Emma Stewart
Victorian Driver of The Year – James Herbertson
Metropolitan Driver of the Year – Mark Pitt
Concession Driver of the Year – Ryan Sanderson
Lang Distinguished Service Award - Alan Galloway, Duncan McPherson, Marg Watson, Peter Wharton
2YO Pacing Filly of the Year - Let Her Roll
2YO Pacing Colt/Gelding of the Year - The Highlight Reel
3YO Pacing Filly of the Year - Very Pretty
3YO Pacing Colt/Gelding of the Year - Bay Of Biscay
4YO Pacing Mare of the Year - Major Delight
4YO Pacing Entire/Gelding of the Year - Perfect Class
Aged Pacing Mare of the Year - Rakero Rebel
Aged Pacing Entire/Gelding of the Year - Catch A Wave
2YO Trotting Filly of the Year - Gatesys Gem
2YO Trotting Colt/Gelding of the Year - Vytis
3YO Trotting Filly of the Year - Keayang Zahara
3YO Trotting Colt/Gelding of the Year - Derek The Jet
4YO Trotting Mare of the Year - Rockinwithattitude
4YO Trotting Entire/Gelding of the Year - The Locomotive
Aged Trotting Mare of the Year - Im Ready Jet
Aged Trotting Entire/Gelding of the Year - Just Believe
Victorian Pacing Broodmare of the Year - Coppagoodone, Benstud Standardbreds
Victorian Trotting Broodmare of the Year - Heavens Above, Yabby Dam Farms
Victorian Breeder of the Year - Yabby Dam Farms
TCV Volunteer Award - Joelene McSwain, Kyle Galley, David Clausen