2023 HRA Vancleve Award Winners

23 April 2024 | Adam Hamilton
Logo
 2023 Australian Trotter of the Year - Just Believe

2023 Australian Trotter of the Year - Just Believe Photo by Dan Costello

CHAMPION trotter Just Believe’s stunning CV just got bigger.

The Jess Tubbs-trained global sensation has snared the 2023 Australia Trotter of the Year title.

Just Believe was totally dominant last year with 11 starts in Australia netting eight wins, two seconds, a third and $483,300.

His wins included the Great Southern Star final, Brisbane Inter Dominion final and Australian Trotting Grand Prix – all at Group 1 level.

In addition, Just Believe drew international acclaim with three runs in Sweden, including a second and a third in elite company.

The only other trotter to receive top votes from any voting panel members in the premier category of the Vancleve Awards was the brilliant Queen Elida, who banked $372,950 last season through 13 wins, five seconds and two thirds.

Just Believe was also a unanimous winner in the Aged Trotting Horse/Gelding of the Year, while it was the same dominance for Queen Elida in the Aged Trotting Mare category. It was Queen Elida’s second successive win in the category.

The unbeaten Nathan Jack-trained Violet Stanford, who made it five wins from as many starts winning the Group 1 Vicbred final at Melton on September 16, landed 75 per cent of the votes to easily win the Australian 2YO Trotting Filly of the Year.

NSW youngsters dominated the 2YO Trotting Colt or Gelding of the Year division with a dead-heat between the NSW-based Valtino, who won six of his 11 starts, and Maximus Meridius (eight wins).

The David Miles-trained Rocknwithattitude added the 3YO Filly of the Year title to the 2YO crown she won the previous year with a whopping 90 per cent of votes. She raced 12 times last season for eight wins, two seconds and banked $203,940.

In a stirring battle, Queenslander Not As Promised  upstaged NSW-based London To A Brick to win the 3YO Colt or Gelding crown.

The Graham Dwyer-trained Not As Promised landed 45 percent of votes, driven by his wins in the Victoria Trotters’ Derby and Breeders Crown finals.

Click here to view the 2023 Horse of the Year Awards presentation

 

Related News

21 May 2024
Vale Kevin Murray
Prominent trainer-driver Kevin Murray passed away on Sunday, May 19 at the age of 90.
21 May 2024
All Faith In Sister Cherie NZ With Win In Central Wheatbelt Cup
At 78-years-old, Ray Williams shows no signs of slowing down, and on Sunday at Kellerberrin the astute horseman prepared the Shire Of Kellerberrin Central Wheatbelt Cup winner Sister Cherie NZ who has had an impressive start to racing here in WA. After winning four in a row when she made her WA debut...
21 May 2024
Xena the standardbred's journey from warrior princess to queen
Turning heads at some of Tasmania’s most prestigious dressage events, it’s almost impossible to look at Jo Rhind and her talented standardbred mare Xena and imagine the journey they’ve taken to get to where they are today. Having ridden ponies as a child, getting back into horses offered...
21 May 2024
Bondi Lockdown has his sights set on big USA plans
Star Australian Group one pacer Bondi Lockdown has landed in the United States, with some big harness racing targets on the radar. The six-year-old entire touched down in the USA 10-days ago and is part of a team being sent to the Northern Hemisphere by New South Wales trainer Luke McCarthy.
21 May 2024
Storming back for another TAB Eureka tilt
STAR four-year-old pacer The Lost Storm will launch his quest for a second crack at the world’s richest harness race when he steps out at Melton on Saturday night. A winner of 12 of his 17 starts, The Lost Storm will have just his fourth start since last year’s $2.1mil TAB Eureka (September...
Click for more