In Brief
- Fighter Command ready for the world's richest race.
- Redemption from 12 months earlier.
- Fighter Command is one of the market fancies.
By Adam Hamilton.
Redemption day is almost here.
It was 12 months ago when the untapped Tasmanian owned-and-bred pacer Fighter Command was preparing to tackle the world’s richest race.
Sadly, he was stuck-down with a twisted bowel, forced out of the $2.1mil TAB Eureka and left fighting for his life.
“We didn’t have time to think about the missed opportunity because it was touch-and-go for a while whether he’d even survive,” trainer Jess Tubbs said.
“Even when he started to pick up, you have this phase where you’re very worried about infection.
“He got through it all, but when a horse goes through what he did, you’re never sure if they’ll come back as well.”
Fighter Command’s scare was the start of an unthinkably hard phase for Tubbs.
Her husband and racing partner, champion driver Greg Sugars, died suddenly and unexpectedly in his sleep on 26 April.
Sugars was just 40 and at his absolute prime. He and Tubbs had become a juggernaut in training ranks with former champion trotter Just Believe the headline, but many tipping Fighter Command to be their next big thing.
Together they shared the disappointment of last year’s aborted TAB Eureka quest.
This time, Tubbs has had to do it all herself. Redemption has been her quest.
Jess Tubbs and James Herbertson with Fighter Command following his 2025 Beautide win.
She has given Fighter Command a slow, meticulous and almost laser-focused comeback campaign aimed at this race.
After six months out, the four-year-old has raced 10 times for three wins, two seconds and a third.
Tubbs’ only focus before the TAB Eureka revolved around winning Fighter Command’s way back into the race, which he did with the most stunning of wins in track record time in the $80,000 Beautide in Hobart on 2 August.
She kept him up to the mark with a strong second to star open-class pacer Catch A Wave – and beating home TAB Eureka favourite Bay Of Biscay – in a Melton free-for-all on 23 August.
“Everything has come together as well as we could hope,” Tubbs said.
“He’s had a really good foundation, he races well at Menangle and he’s got Herbie (James Herberton) driving him.
“While he’s certainly grown up a lot from last year, I still think he’s learning and will be better again in 12 months, but this is the last chance to race for this sort of huge money.
“I’m sure he’s got the motor, but he’s still learning the ringcraft.
“It’s exciting now the race is almost here. For so long, especially after what happened to him last year, I didn’t let myself think about the race until we’d gone and won the Beautide.
“It would be amazing if he could win it, but I’m sure he’ll make us proud whatever he does.”