Trainer Brent Lilley spent more than a year plotting how to try and beat Just Believe, now’s he is happy to avoid him whenever he can.

Lilley’s stable star Queen Elida is one of the best trotters in this part of the world, but like the rest, Just Believe is simply too good for her.

Just Believe’s record of 13 starts this year for 11 wins and two seconds says as much.

“Before he went to Sweden and even when he first came, you’d take Just Believe on thinking you’re a chance, but he’s gone to another level,” Lilley said.

“The way he’s dominated, especially for the past nine months or so, he’s up with the very best we’ve seen.

“I know we’ll have to race him at times, but the less the better.”

Avoiding Just Believe is the main reason Lilley has scrapped any thought of taking Queen Elida back to her homeland in NZ for the enhanced $NZ400,000 Dominion Trot on NZ Cup Day (November 12).

“Now he’s going, we’re happy to stay home and target some races here while he’s away and build towards the (Sydney) Inter Dominion,” Lilley said.

“We’ve got a bit of a luxury in that Queen Elida is a mare and they’ve got some nice races for the mares’ only, including this week’s race (at Melton).”

That’s where Queen Elida returns from a spell and one she certainly needed, accordingly to Lilley.

“She had a big and long campaign and went in pretty much everything,” he said. “When you throw in the issues we had with her feet after the (Brisbane) Inter Dominion, she did a mighty a job.

“She had five weeks out and loved it. She’s freshened-up every bit as well as we hoped.

“We’ve given her those two trials back and Chris Alford (driver), who is always such a good judge of where she’s at, said she feels great.

“She always looks a bit on the big side because she’s such a great doer, but she also races really well fresh.

“Even though she’s back against her own sex, there’s a couple of nice ones in the race. It’ll be really interesting to see how Im Ready Jet goes at her first start for Andy (Gath). We know how good she is at her top and sometimes a change of scenery can really perk them up.”

Gath said Im Ready Jet trialled well at Melton on Tuesday in preparation for her return.

“She was against the pacers and ran well,” he said. “When she lines up Saturday night, she’ll have been with me just eight days, so the race will give me a better line on her as well.

“She’s been a mare who can take a race or two to get her to her top, but the way she trialled, I’m expecting a good showing.”

Im Ready Jet is one of three high-class trotters Gath “inherited” after the split between their owner Pat Driscoll and former trainer Anton Golino.

The biggest name is former Group 1-winning French trotter Callmethebreeze, who beat Just Believe in the Group 1 Great Southern Star in February.

“He’s close to racing, too,” Gath said. “He’ll trial at Melton next week and then I’ll look for a race.”

In other stable news, Gath said stable star Catch A Wave would tackle a free-for-all at Melton on Saturday week to sharpen-up for his next Group 1 target, the $150,000 Len Smith Mile at Menangle on September 7.

Other key Victorians aiming at the race include Better Eclipse and Mach Dan.