Smith in emotional tribute to friend after shock passing

Greg Sugars, who died suddenly on Saturday, will be honoured at Alexandra Park this Friday. Photo / Race Images

Canterbury horseman Gavin Smith says it will be a painful privilege to honour his close friend Greg Sugars in Friday night’s Reharvest Rowe Cup.

Like many in the industry, Smith was left stunned by the shock news on Saturday that 40-year-old Victorian trainer and driver Sugars had passed away in his sleep in a New South Wales hotel room.

Smith was close to Sugars, having spent plenty of time together over the years, even more so in the last year as Sugars campaigned Just Believe and Better Eclipse in New Zealand.

Sugars and his wife Jess Tubbs also trained One Over All during his Victorian career after Smith sent him across to them as a three-year-old.

“They helped make this horse,” Smith said.

“It has been a very tough week for me, and I have really struggled with it, especially when I am not busy.

“So I wanted to do something to honour Greg.”

Smith asked Jess Tubbs if he could wear Greg and her racing colours when he partners One Over All in the Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park this Friday.

“Jess said yes and I am honoured to do it but, now it is getting closer, I realise it will be really emotional for me,” Smith said.

“This is the right race to do it in. This was the race last year they won with Just Believe, and they then won the Auckland Cup as the very next race, as they were both held on the same night last year.

“It was one of the biggest nights of their career, and I want to remember Greg by wearing the colours and hope we can do him justice.”

This week was always going to be an emotional one at harness meetings right around Australasia, and remembering Sugars will be an integral part of Friday night’s meeting, as it should be after the enormous involvement Sugars had with the New Zealand industry last year.

Earlier in the night, Race four is named the “Remembering Greg Sugars – Fond Memories from 2024 – RIP” Mobile Pace.

The emotionally-charged meeting with its five black type races is the last major fixture of a huge autumn of racing in the north, with the Rowe Cup complemented by the Roy Purdon Memorial, which is elevated to Group One status this year in memory of the legend of the New Zealand industry.

It is a rare Group One handicap pacing race and will see Auckland Cup and Messenger winner Republican Party, along with Don’t Stop Dreaming, Mo’unga and Chase A Dream, having to give Taylor Mile winner We Walk By Faith a 10m start over just 2200m.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.