Zeus primed to strike at Melton following international campaign

Owner-breeder Duncan McPherson is drawing inspiration from trotting megastars Just Believe and Sundons Gift when his star Aldebaran Zeus returns from a year of international racing at Melton on Saturday night.

Aldebaran Zeus with owner-breeder Duncan McPherson. Picture: Supplied

Owner-breeder Duncan McPherson is drawing inspiration from trotting megastars Just Believe and Sundons Gift when his star Aldebaran Zeus returns from a year of international racing at Melton on Saturday night.

Sundons Gift unsuccessfully took on the world’s best in the 2009 Elitlopp in Sweden and returned an infinitely better horse, winning 15 of his first 20 starts back in Australia.

Just Believe’s record since his terrific three-race Swedish raid last year has been similarly amazing, winning 14 of 16 starts since returning home.

“The template is there,” McPherson said. “You speak to Chris Lang about Sundons Gift or Greg (Sugars) and Jess (Tubbs) about Just Believe and they’ll all tell you their horses have come back much, much better for the big trips away.

“We’re hoping it’s the same with ‘Zeus’ and the early signs are good.”

Aldebaran Zeus flew the Aussie flag when a brave seventh against some of the world’s best trotters in the $US1m Yonkers International Trot in New York last September.

Aldebaran Zeus wins at Bendigo last year. Picture: Stuart McCormick

He had another six runs in the US, including a second placing, but McPherson concedes they “pushed the envelope too far” and the brilliant trotter was below his best for the last few runs.

“We couldn’t get him on a flight we wanted in November, so we gave him a few more runs and he wasn’t at his top,” he said.

“He got a bit crook and we gave him a good break over there before he went into quarantine and came home.

“He’s had a good, long and steady preparation. Tracey (Cullen) and Brent (Lilley) think he’s come back at least as well as before he left and his second trial back was terrific at Melton on Monday night.”

Aldebaran Zeus' owner-breeder Duncan McPherson is in the US ahead of the MGM @YonkersRaceway International Trot and he spoke with @SkyRacingAU's @BrittanyTGraham about the excitement of having a horse set to run on the world stage. pic.twitter.com/764izmERKU

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) September 5, 2023

Aldebaran Zeus hit the line superbly in blistering time when a close second to the classy Hesallmuscle in a Melton trial on Monday night.

“They went 1min55.3sec for 1720m and he hit the line under his own steam,” McPherson said. “It told us he’s raring to go.”

Aldebaran Zeus, a five-time Group 1 winner, is drawn to use his trademark gate speed and will look to lead from gate three in Saturday night’s Lenin free-for-all (2240m) at Melton.

It will be his first race in Australia since finishing second at Melton on April 1, last year. The start prior he led throughout to beat Just Believe in the Group 1 Hammerhead at Menangle.

“It’s great to have him back to get a good foundation through these winter races and before the really big ones come around again towards the end of the year,” McPherson said.

“We know he’s no Just Believe – not many are – but he loves the sprint races and we’ll target as many of them as we can.”

Meanwhile, Just Believe is out for a break after his perfect record of four wins from as many runs through a recent NZ campaign.

Just Believe will target a historic third successive Inter Dominion crown in Sydney in December, making it unlikely he will return to NZ for November’s Group 1 Dominion Trot.

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

Originally published as Zeus primed to strike at Melton following international campaign