History says Just Believe can successfully defend his Inter Dominion crown in Brisbane.

Much anticipation surrounds the star trotter's return to racing after his fantastic efforts against some of the world’s best trotters in Sweden during May and June.

There was a lot to like about the way he savaged the line in that first trial back last Monday night at Melton and he will be asked to do a little bit more in another trial tonight.

Then it’s back to the races for what will likely be two lead-up runs before heading to Brisbane for the first round of Inter Dominion heats at Albion Park on December 1.

As daunting and draining as all the travel to, around and back from the other side of the world must have been, trainer Jess Tubbs said you wouldn’t know it looking at Just Believe.

“Looking at him around the place and how he’s working, he seems much the same as when he left,” she said.

That’s a great thing.

While there is always a slice of apprehension about how a horse will return from such a trip – think about champion thoroughbred sprinter after his Royal Ascot heroics – the history of those who have gone to Sweden before him sparks enthusiasm.

The shining example is Chris Lang’s former star, Sundons Gift.

Lang took him to the Elitlopp after winning the 2009 Inter Dominion final and, quite simply, the trotter was a bit too raw and overawed by the occasion.

Rather than take anything out of Sundons Gift, Lang has said numerous times the trip made him a better horse.

His record after coming back home certainly backs that up.

After making a mistake at his first run after the Swedish trip, Sundons Gift then won 14 of his next 17 starts and finished second in the other three.

Remarkable.

And, just like Just Believe is trying to do, Sundons Gift successfully defended his Inter Dominion crown at Moonee Valley just months after returning home.

Sundons Gift is all the inspiration Tubbs and Greg Sugars need headed towards Albion Park.

Back in 1999, Kiwi trotter Special Force won the Auckland Inter Dominion then went across to Sweden. Like Just Believe, he had a more prolonged campaign with a few runs.

Unlike Sundons Gift, Special Force didn’t return to win the next Inter Dominion, but had plenty of success back home.

Importantly for Just Believe, Special Force bounced straight back into form when he resumed racing in NZ after his Swedish raid.

He raced three times in NZ in late 1999 – in the sort of window Just Believe will return in – for two seconds and a third.

When you consider he chased home the almighty Lyell Creek in the second and third of those runs, they carry extra merit.

And let’s go further back to one of all the time trotting queens, Pride Of Petite.

She had already won back-to-back Inter Dominions before heading across to the Elitlopp in 1997 where she ran fourth in a heat and became the first and still only Down Under trotting to qualify for an Elitlopp final, where she ran sixth.

Pride Of Petite’s in the remainder of 1997 after returning home was terrific and in the most elite of company against the likes of superstars Buster Hanover, Diamond Field and Wagon Apollo.

She raced nine times in that back end of 1997 for three wins, a second, two thirds and three fourths.

One of the best runs was a third in the Group 1 Dominion Trot at Addington where Buster Hanover beat Diamond Field and Wagon Apollo was fourth.

The bar will be raised a little for Just Believe in Brisbane, largely with the exciting emergence of Queen Elida, but the reigning champ is favourite and history says he deserves to be

The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.