Harness racing: Better Eclipse begins ambitious campaign at Melton on Saturday night

Star pacer Better Eclipse will launch his most ambitious program yet when he returns from a spell at Melton on Saturday night.

Better Eclipse resumes at Melton on Saturday night before he heads to Sydney next week. Picture: Dan Costello

Star pacer Better Eclipse has won 22 races and over $1.2 million, but trainer Jess Tubbs believes his could still be yet to come.

The gelding launches his biggest and most ambitious campaign yet when he returns from a spell in the Legend Popular Alm & Vin Knight free-for-all (1720m) at Melton on Saturday night.

Better Eclipse, a three-time Group 1 winner and runner-up to Leap To Fame in last year’s Inter Dominion, hasn’t started since winning the Group 1 Auckland Cup at Alexandra Park on May 24.

“We couldn’t be happier with him,” Tubbs said.

“His work has been outstanding at home. He seems at least as good as ever.

“He’s had one trial and we were going to give him another this week before the race, but he worked so well on Saturday, Greg (Sugars) and I felt he was ready to go.”

Better Eclipse faces a fascinating clash with Victoria’s other top pacer, Catch A Wave, who is looking to bounce back from a first-up flop at Melton.

“That’s just him. He can do that,” Catch A Wave’s trainer Andy Gath said.

“We’ve seen it before numerous times and he’s bounced back with the run under his belt. All the signs are good at home.”

The pair will then fly the Victorian flag at Menangle on Saturday week in Australia’s next big open-class race, the $150,000 Group 1 Len Smith Mile.

Both love Menangle with Catch A Wave having won a Miracle Mile and Chariots Of Fire at the track and Better Eclipse also snaring a Chariots Of Fire.

They will both head towards the $300,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton on October 12.

“Then we’re looking at New Zealand with Better Eclipse,” Tubbs said.

“He’s such a great traveller and we think he’d be suited to a race like the ($NZ1 million) NZ Cup (November 12).

“We’re also considering the Kaikoura Cup (November 4) over there because it’s a good lead-in, such a unique race and a bit of a Bucket List race for Greg (Sugars).”

Better Eclipse’s return really stamps the strength of the Tubbs/Sugars stable.

Their champion trotter Just Believe is unbeaten in two runs this campaign and will chase a third in the Jack Slack Trotters’ Cup at Ballarat next Thursday night.

Just Believe is also headed back to NZ for the $NZ400,000 Group 1 Dominion Trot in Christchurch on NZ Cup Day.

“He might go to Kaikoura for a trotters race the same day if Better Eclipse goes there,” Tubbs said.

Tubbs and Sugars also have a key contender for the world’s richest harness race, Saturday week’s $2.1 million TAB Eureka, with their exciting three-year-old Fighter Command.

Unbeaten in four starts this campaign, Fighter Command will sharpen up for the TAB Eureka when he takes on older rivals in the last race (race eight) at Melton on Saturday night.

“We wanted to run him last week, but the race didn’t stand-up. He needs a run, so this week it is,” Tubbs said.

“It’s never easy from those wide draws (barrier seven), but it’s 2240m which helps a bit. We’re really happy with where he’s at.”

* Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp

Originally published as Harness racing: Better Eclipse begins ambitious campaign at Melton on Saturday night