All hail Queen Rakero

QUALITY mare Rakero Rebel had to find in an extra gear in a blisteringly run race to salute in the time-honoured Queen Of The Pacific in Melton tonight.

The Jess Tubbs-trained mare was sent out at $8.50 chance heading into the 2760-metre event.

Driven by Greg Sugars, Rakero Rebel had to work hard from barrier nine and was forced to sit parked while favourite, Aardies Express, had a soft time of leading through the early stages.

The daughter out of Timeless Perfection came home with a blistering final quarter of 27.3 seconds to secure the feature in 1.55.7.

Sugars  was ecstatic after his 62nd Group One victory.

“It was super exciting, racing in that sort of style when you get a late split and hit the line it is always pretty exciting,” Sugars said.

“I sort of knew rounding the corner that I had a lot of horse left, but whether the gaps were going to come in time to say I was a winning hope.

“I never got clear till I was probably half-way up the straight, she was just that quick over a short period of time and the distance just got us over the line.”

Part owner, Gary Jarvis was also on track to share in the spoils.

“She  is a good mare and she was probably due for a win,” Jarvis said. “It is all credit to Jess and Greg  It is just magnificent, just unbelievable.”

Sugars and Tubbs also captured the Bill Collins Trotters' Sprint with squaregaiting star, Just Believe, for a Group One double.

• HRV Media