Just Believe is a “top 10” trotter in the world who has changed perceptions about Australian harness racing in the northern hemisphere, according to Solvalla's racing manager.

Anders Malmrot says Victorian driver Greg Sugars and trainer Jess Tubbs’ had drastically altered perceptions with their beloved Harry, who placed twice in three Swedish starts after a luckless Elitloppet heat.

“I’m so impressed about Harry, I knew he was a good horse but I didn’t expect him to be this good,” Malmrot told TrotsVision’s Ryan Phelan.

He said while it was a “disappointment” to see Just Believe’s misfortune in the Elitlopp, when the Australian trotter galloped in the final straight after contacting another sulky, it was clear “he’s such a good horse, we must see him race again”.

“And after Ostersund and Boden everyone is ‘wow, what a horse we have seen’.”

Just Believe finished brilliantly at Ostersund to finish third and then backed that up with an outstanding second at Boden, when he sat outside next-big-thing Francesco Zet and challenged Sweden’s talented trotter all the way to the line.

“They are mainly in shock how (at) good he is,” Malmrot said. “Everyone here thought Harry had no chance in the Elitlopp and they obviously told me that as well.

“Something has changed and everyone sees how we must build our sport into something bigger.”

Malmrot said that change of perception would carry into northern hemisphere interest in Victoria’s trotting scene, including it’s headline Great Southern Star, part of the state’s rich Aurora Australis series.

“From now on, and I believe it for everyone here in Sweden, they will be watching the Inter Dominion and the Great Southern Star with much bigger interest now when they see how good your horses are,” he said.

“I think this will make so much difference in how we see each other’s races.”

And it may also mean consideration for more than Just Believe in future Elitloppets.

“We have seen that Just Believe has won the big races but it’s not by so many lengths every time. You have so many good horses beneath Just Believe,” he said.

“Obviously it could be some more, we will see about that when it comes to these races who is in shape and what we can do about it. It’s a great cost to take horses from Australia to Sweden, so it’s a little bit about that, but there’s no doubt about it, your horses are good enough.”

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