JUST BELIEVE. (top) and CALLMETHEBREEZE.
This is the lead up story to the exciting contest. Taken from HRA website.
"AUSTRALIA'S champion trotter Just Believe can't escape the Europeans, even in his own backyard. Just Believe gained huge global respect through a three-race Swedish campaign in May/June, which included a second and a third against some of the world's best trotters. The eight-year-old is unbeaten in five starts since returning home, including his second successive clean sweep of an Inter Dominion series in Brisbane last month. At his first run since winning that final on December 16, Just Believe steps out in the $50,000 Group 2 Knight Pistol at Ballarat on Saturday night.
Standing in his way is a seriously talented and impressively credentialled European import, Callmethebreeze. The six-year-old French-bred entire was bought by Pat Driscoll's Haras des Trotteurs a few months back and has turned heads with a couple of impressive trials in preparation for his Down Under debut on Saturday night. There are no soft launches for Callmethebreeze when he takes on not only Just Believe but the strongest Aussie trotting line-up for at least a year. Callmethebreeze won 12 races in Europe, including the Group 1 Gran Premio Orsi Mangelli in Italy as a three-year-old back in 2021. The following year he won serious races in Rome and Stockholm's famous Solvalla track, where the Elitlopp is run. Just Believe started his Swedish raid in a heat of the Elitlopp late last May, but was checked and galloped, losing all chance while looming like a possible top-four finisher rounding the home bend. Callmethebreeze's trainer Anton Golino, who learnt much of his craft in Europe, conceded his stable newcomer would need "a lot of luck" to test Just Believe at Ballarat."
Anton Golino's forecast proved correct, with Just Believe sitting "in death" for the bulk of the trip, with Callmethebreeze cruising on his back. The imported horse gave his best, but had to be satisfied with 2nd place as Just Believe proved too strong.. I think when the french horse has been here a while longer the placings may be reversed. The onset of winter may do the trick. Callmethebreeze will get plenty of mares when he goes to the stud. He has the french gait, low and extended, and it does make the difference.
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