A lead four has emerged in the race to the SENTrack Inter Dominion Trotting Championship and they look set for two enticing bouts when the series moves to Geelong this Saturday night.
Just Believe, the series only unbeaten runner after tonight’s Shepparton heats, has drawn gate one for the final leg with championship favourite Bolt For Brilliance drawing directly on his outside, whetting the appetite for what looms as the headline act of Night 3.
It will be race three on the card and will be followed by another tantalising battle, with Mufasa Metro drawing inside fellow four-year-old Queen Elida on the front line of their heat and the pair looking well placed to add to their significant points totals.
Behind them is a chasing pack determined to advance to finals night at Tabcorp Park Melton on December 10, led by Nephew Of Sonoko, who produced a boilover at Shepparton.
Having enjoyed an outstanding June and July that culminated in a win in the Wagon Apollo Trotters Free For All, which clinched a golden ticket into the ID22 for Ross Graham’s trotter, Nephew Of Sonoko’s form had faded from those heights until tonight, when James Herbertson seized the moment and with it the victory.
The $1.15 favourite Bolt For Brilliance appeared to be sitting pretty in the three wide line until a gear failure saw Tony Herlihy’s New Zealand entrant falter and loose a length.
Herbertson capitalised on Nephew Of Sonoko to get separation around the final turn and it proved critical, with Bolt For Brilliance storm to the line but falling a short half-head shy, enabling the winner to bank maximum points and all but stitch up a place in the $250,000 final.
There he will likely run into Just Believe and Queen Elida, who also scored on Night 2 to give the host state a clean trotting sweep.
Just Believe won his heat handsomely for trainer Jess Tubbs and reinsman Greg Sugars, comfortably holding the lead and parking rival Majestuoso to his outside.
Off a pedestrian second quarter they upped the pace in the run to the line but Andy Gath’s brilliant Group 1 champ, Majestuoso, was unable to threaten, with Just Believe scooting away to a 5.7-metre win from Hatchback who pipped Majestuoso for second.
“(Just Believe) is a real dude,” Sugars told TrotsVision. “He’s got a bit of attitude, a bit of character around the stables and he’s just a lovely racehorse.
“We’ve had good barrier draws and gotten away with good sectionals in the first two rounds of heats. We are perfectly placed moving forward.”
There is also a real air of confidence in the Queen Elida camp, with the lauded Brent Lilley-Chris Alford trainer/driver combination well poised for more silverware.
From her gate one draw Queen Elida was unchallenged in her heat, with Alford able to dictate terms and use her stunning high speed to zip clear for a 7.5-metre win from Mufasa Metro and a fast finishing Sleepee, who kept her series alive with an eye-catching finish.
“She was really good tonight,” Alford said of Queen Elida. “She came out of the gate well and held easily.
"While John’s horse (Mufasa Metro) was on her wheel she was on the bit and then looking around all the way up the straight.”
The pair will meet again at Geelong and on that occasion it’s likely Mufasa Metro will have a positional advantage as a result of their respective draws, but Queen Elida has proven herself a class above to date and Alford will go in undaunted.
“The best thing about her is she is just perfect to drive,” he said. “You couldn’t ask for a better horse to drive. She goes, stops, turns, starts, whatever you like, she just does it all in her stride.”
Which, when prompted, has him thinking about the December 10 final.
“It’s going to come down to luck in running,” he said. “There are probably three standouts in this series so far with Just Believe, Bolt For Brilliance and this mare. It’s still going to be a hard race to win, but I wouldn’t swap her for any others.”
That trio sits atop the points table with Mufasa Metro, Nephew Of Sonoko, Ofortuna, Majestuoso, Always Ready, Hatchback, Sundons Courage and Anywhere Hugo also making the cut, while Majestic Harry, Parisian Artiste and Brandlo Prince sit on the cusp in equal 12.
Get to Geelong this Saturday night to see who advances. You can book your experience at ID22.com.au, and if you can't make it trackside be sure to enjoy the outstanding www.TrotsVision.com.au coverage live and free.
Here are the Night 3 trotting draws:
