Just Believe ID23 Final Win Photo by Dan Costello
IT sounds strange after just two clashes, but Aussie superstar Just Believe and buzz European import Callmethebreeze have quickly built a stirring rivalry.
It's largely because their titanic struggle down the home straight in the Group 1 Great Southern Star final on February 3 was one of the best races Melton has witnessed for many years.
While it is still only February, it is hard to imagine that 2024 will produce a better spectacle.
The French-bred Callmethebreeze, having just his third Australian start, wore down a very brave Just Believe and smashed the track record in the process.
It turned the tables on their only previous meeting when an underdone Callmethebreeze grabbed the eye with a late closing second to Just Believe in the Group 2 Knight Pistol Trot at Ballarat on January 20.
Now comes an early decide … round three.
The pair clash again in Saturday night's $75,000 Group 1 Australian Trotting Grand Prix (2240m) at Melton.
Just Believe, with the benefit of gate one, is a firming favourite, $1.70 into $1.55.
But Callmethebreeze, who surely has the most upside, is kept very safe at $3.10 from gate four.
Some say Callmethebreeze may have the early "ping" to get across Just Believe at the start, and that would certainly change things.
"We're not too concerned how the start plays out," Just Believe's trainer Jess Tubbs said.
"That's one of the big benefits of having Greg (Sugars) onboard; he'll make the right decision."
"We've been really happy since his (Just Believe) last run. He worked really well this morning (Wednesday) and is raring to go."
"It's terrific for the sport to have a rivalry like this, but it can get a bit tricky when you've got one of the horses because people tend to pick a side."
Callmethebreeze will head to Sydney after this week to target the $100,000 Group 1 Hammerhead at Menangle on Miracle Mile night (March 9), but he won't have to contend with Just Believe.
"No, we're not taking 'Harry' (Just Believe's stable name) to Sydney," Tubbs said.
"He's already had a Queensland trip this campaign, and he's still going to NZ to come in April."
That NZ trip is for the inaugural $NZ575,000 TAB Trot slot Cambridge race on April 12.
While Just Believe is already confirmed for a slot in the race, you can expect Callmethebreeze to go in the slot of his owner Pat Driscoll's Yabby Dams.
So, that looms almost certainly as round four in the blossoming rivalry.
While the Just Believe and Callmethebreeze rematch hogs the headlines, much interest will be on how emerging star Arcee Phoenix goes against the pair, especially from an awful outside front-row draw (gate seven).
At least one Kiwi-based slot holder in the TAB Trot has spoken with Arcee Phoenix's trainer-driver Chris Svanosio, who has declared he'll wait until after this week and the Hammerhead before deciding on an NZ trip.
On the same card, glamour trotting mare Queen Elida is a $1.50 favourite to return to winning form when she drops back to racing her own sex in the $50,000 Group 2 Breed For Speed Gold Series final.
She is another already confirmed for the new NZ race through the NZ TAB slot.
· Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
