Keeping Pace: Just Believe a hot chance and news from Tamworth's harness racers

Raced by the Iona Trotter Syndicate comprising of David Pike, Margot Sweeney, Terry Browne, Mark Lowe, Bob Peterson and Greg and Judy McDonell, Just Believe has had a terrific run through the heats but the final will prove to be tougher after drawing the 12 barrier.

Trained by Jessica Tubbs for the last ten race starts, the Orlando Vici-Heavens Above gelding has secured six wins and three minor placings driven by husband Greg Sugars.

The last three wins on the trot have been heats of the 2022 SENtrack Inter Dominion in the trotter's class, with the first being a Ballarat win by 2.5 metres as a $1.95 race favourite in a mile rate of 2.01.0 for 2200m.

Just Believe then secured the second heat of the series at Shepparton with a 5.7 metre winning margin and a mile rate of 1.57.7 for 1690 metres, once again as a $1.25 race favourite.

The third heat win took place last Saturday night at Geelong with a half-neck win in a mile rate of 2.00.9 for 2570 metres.

The $500,000 SENTrack Inter Dominion Pacing Championships Grand Final will be held on the same night.

And while on the Inter Dominion finals, we wish our Tamworth Regional Mini Trotters, represented by Reba Brown, Rylee Kiddle, Morgan Coney and Mia McMillan as part of the NSW contingent, all the best as they endeavour to get some wins in their respective divisions.

There was also an early birthday present for Moonbi trainer and reinsman Dean Chapple, when Achromatic won on debut at the Tamworth harness meeting last Thursday.

Raced by Danny and Amy Evans, Chapple recalls the early days with Achromatic before making it to the paceway.

"I broke her in and she was horrible to break in," Chapple said. "She has still got a lot to learn and she did a lot of things wrong in the race today but she still got the job done."

"She is usually a really good pacer but she went a bit ordinary but it could have been the hustle bustle of the race.

"I felt she was going to win the race from a long way out but as soon as I straightened up out of the home turn, I clicked her up and she just raced away."

Achromatic had a 5.9 metre win over Cracker Barrel (Jamie Bond) and Muddy Montana (Danny Mackney) a neck away third.

Tom Ison made an intrepid return to Tamworth from his Queensland working holiday when he drove four winners on the nine-race program at Tamworth last week - three for his father Andy in Miss Serena, Caesars Rockstar and Blissfull Donna and an outside winning drive behind Miss Lilliromar for trainer Margot Lennox.

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