Rest the best option for Just Believe

There is no guarantee champion trotter Just Believe will race again.

Trainer Jess Tubbs would not be drawn into a time frame for his return after Just Believe's latest NZ raid was cut short yesterday (Tuesday).

Tubbs did reveal some concerns had centred around the global superstar since his brave last-start second in the Group 1 NZ Trotting Free For All at Addington on November 15.

“Greg (Sugars) wasn’t 100 per cent happy with him after that last run,” she said.

“We’ve been monitoring him for a while and noticed a few changes, so it’s best for him that we reassess things and bring him home for a break.

“He was really only staying in NZ because he was suited with Better Eclipse going to the Auckland Cup, so he can come home early instead.

“Harry’s main aim was the Dominion (Trot) and he won that.

“It’s another reason we didn’t go back to the Inter Dominion. He didn’t need those four runs in two weeks and the travel that would’ve gone with it.

“We have and always will put the horse first, so we are erring on the side of safety.”

Tubbs added rest was the best option with Just Believe now.

“We’re not trying to find anything, there are no checks to do when he gets home, we know what we are dealing with,” she said.

“We’re not talking in terms of any (upcoming big) races or those sorts of things at the moment.

“Whether he comes back at all depends on how he is and what’s right for him, there is no time frame.

“If he doesn’t come back, then he doesn’t owe us anything.”

Just Believe, under the superb guidance of Tubbs and Sugars, has done a remarkable job as a seven, eight and now nine-year-old to travel and race so extensively at the top level without any issues.

It's an especially huge effort given he hasn't used blazing gate speed to win many of his races and has often had to do all the work outside the leader and/or have the hardest run.

Originally written by Adam Hamilton and published by HRV.