The late Greg Sugar’s project horse is a fighter

by Adam Hamilton

The late Greg Sugars must be a very proud and excited man as he looks down.

The project horse he and wife Jess Tubbs had such high hopes for, Fighter Command, is starting to show what the pair hoped and always believed he could become.

The big and raw 5-year-old is one of the most exciting pacers in Australia.

Just the mention of Fighter Command stirs waves of emotion. He is the strongest remaining equine connection between Sugars and Tubbs.

He was supposed to be their project horse, but now Tubbs is doing it alone.

“He was actually Greg’s project horse,” Tubbs said earlier this year.

But what a job Tubbs has done carrying on the job.

It’s just over 16 months since Down Under harness racing was rocked by the sudden and shock passing of Sugars.

At just 40 years old, already a superstar and just reaching his prime, Sugars died in his sleep. It was discovered many months later that it was due to a condition called Long QT syndrome, which stops the electrical current to the heart.

The way Tubbs has continued, maintaining a very successful and large stable while dealing with her own huge loss and emotions, has been remarkable.

Fighter Command may have been a help.

He’s as big (maybe bigger) than he is talented, but he has defied the modern standardbred and been the ultimate slow burn.

Most of the time, it’s been a case of two steps forward and one step back for the past 2½ years.

Just to add another layer, during it all Fighter Command almost died.

About this time two years ago, just days before the world’s richest race at the time, the $2.1 million TAB Eureka, Fighter Command was struck down with a twisted bowel.

“We didn’t know if he’d pull through, it was touch and go for days,” Tubbs said at the time. “It’s been a long road back. You’re not sure if he’ll race again, then when he does, if he’ll be as good as he was.”

Fighter Command didn’t race for about six months and when he did return, it was a low-key 4-year-old campaign of just 11 starts for three wins and three placings.

The “Grand final” was a shot at redemption in the TAB Eureka after being scratched just days before it a year earlier.

But he wasn’t himself and failed to beat a runner home.

Not deterred, Tubbs put him away from another long break.

Patience and more patience.

“He’s a big, raw baby,” Tubbs said. “I’ll give him all the time he needs.”

After another seven months away from the track, Fighter Command returned with four encouraging Melton runs earlier this year and, after much deliberation and just days out from the series, Tubbs decided to take the gelding to last month’s Brisbane Inter Dominion series.

“I’m realistic about where he’s at,” she said before the series. “It’s as much for his development as anything.”

What an inspired move.

Fighter Command gave a glimpse of his “freaky” factor when he stormed home from last to win his opening round heat.

The reality check came seven days later when he reminded everyone how far he still had to develop when he basically lost the plot and became undriveable for Jason Lee before eventually galloping in his second-round heat.

Written off for the final, and in one of the best and most brutally run races of modern times, Fighter Command produced a monstrous run from the rear to finish fifth.

A proud Tubbs just shook her head and said “progress.”

“As I said straight after the series, he exceeded my expectations,” she said. “To win a heat and run so well in such a strong final was fantastic.

“He’s come a long way from the big baby he was and shown he is worthy of having a crack at these big races.”

Rather than give him a break like many other Inter Dominion finalists, Tubbs decided to roll with Fighter Command.

“Two reasons,” she said. “The first being how well he came through the racing and the whole Brisbane trip. He thrived on it.

“The other is the fact he’s so big, I didn’t want him putting on too much weight and then having to get it off him again with the Victoria Cup not far away.”

Fighter Command stepped out for the first time since the July 18 Inter Dominion final and won at Melton last Saturday night.

It was as much a statement as a win.

While star drivers James Herbertson and Jason Lee have often spoken lavishly about Fighter Command’s potential, an even more decorated driver joined the chorus last weekend.

The trailblazing champion Kerryn Manning, with a swag of premierships, major victories, and over 4,500 career wins, isn’t one to get carried away in the moment.

But after driving Fighter Command for the first time and scoring an arrogantly easy win in good company at Melton, Manning turned heads with her appraisal.

“I haven’t driven one with a motor like that for quite a while,” she told thetrots.com.au. “He doesn’t feel like he accelerates, he just gets past everybody like they are standing still.

“And to run past those horses of that caliber tonight is a bit scary.”

Fighter Command blew away the likes of eight-time Group 1 winner Catch A Wave and millionaire veteran Bulletproof Boy.

He came from near last and ran the sort of sectional time that only special horses clock.

Tubbs was suitably impressed.

“Based on that performance tonight where he has run his last half in :53.3, it sort of confirms he’s come back from the [Brisbane] trip a better horse for the experience,” she said,

“The thing is he has incredible acceleration for such a big horse, he doesn’t need to wind up. So, if he’s close and handy then he is always going to be in any race he goes in.

“The [Group 1] Victoria Cup is still eight weeks away so we will just keep ticking him over.”

Just the way Sugars would’ve wanted it.