Cudgee-based trainer John Meade is thrilled to have Sparkling Success back in action.
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The talented eight-year-old trotter returned to racing in the past two months after a 17-month break.
He had a hole in his suspensory (leg ligament).
Sparkling Success was set to run in the $1.3 million Yonkers International Trot in New York in October, 2018.
"We nearly got to America with him," John said.
"We were only three days off putting him on the plane when we found the leg injury."
Sparkling Success won Australasia's richest trotting race - the $300,000 Great Southern Star - at Melton in 2018.
He's had 17 wins from 39 starts and has earned more than $420,000 in prize money.
John said it was "somewhere in the dreams" that Sparkling Success would be invited to the United States again.
"They all say they never lose their speed," he said.
Sparkling Success' more immediate mission is to take out race six at Terang on Tuesday night.
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The hot favourite ($1.70) has gate 10 and will start off 40 metres in the handicap race.
He has good form after running fifth at the Charlton Trotters Cup and a "really good third" at the Economix Scotch Notch six days later.
John is expecting a good showing but isn't setting the bar too high.
While he'd normally let professionals drive, he'll jump in the sulky this time.
"We've put new shoes on him and we're going to the races," he said.
John's son Paddy, also based at Cudgee, notched up his first ever win as a driver last week.
He drove Maori Amour, which he owns and trains, to victory in the $7000 three-year-old and older trot at Stawell.
"It was exciting," the 31-year-old said.
"It was more a relief getting her to trot the whole way.
"She's a good finisher, she's really tough.
"Half the battle is getting that trotter to trot."
Maori Amour, which has won two of her past four starts, has gate five in race three at Terang.
John also has I Stand Alone at gate seven in that handicap race.
I Stand Alone, owned by John and his wife Mary, won his debut race at Terang on April 17.
He's the younger half-brother of Sparkling Success.
"He's not the smoothest trotter I've ever driven," John said.
"But he's got a good heart and was bred pretty well."
John, who has had trotters for 35 years, described the five-year-old's debut win as "a bit lucky".
John's excited to see how the trotter goes off a 10m handicap on Tuesday.
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