Photo by Stuart McCormick
CHAMPION pacer Leap To Fame will arrive in Melbourne on Thursday, but won’t have another lead-up run in Saturday night’s Casey Classic at Melton.
Trainer-driver Grant Dixon was so pleased with the six-year-old’s first-up win at Albion Park last night, he is confident Leap To Fame will be primed for his title defence in Saturday week’s Group 1 Hunter Cup.
"He really was sharp last night. He did it very easily and showed he's where need him to be," trainer-driver Grant Dixon said. "We thought about running him again next Saturday at Melton, but last night showed he won't need it.”
It took less than two-and-a-half minutes for the Queensland superstar to quash any doubts how well he would return from the first setback of his career, a throat infection which forced him out of the Victoria and NZ Cups as well as the Inter Dominion late last year.
Renowned for being lazy in front, Leap To Fame looked as sharp and focused as he’s ever been first-up when he dashed clear to win by 14.1m in a sizzling 1min52.7sec mile rate for 2138m at Albion Park.
It was Leap To Fame's first start since October 26 when the throat infection flared again and eventually forced him to the spelling paddock.
"You just like to see them run as well as he did and, just as importantly, come through it well after the setback he had. It looks like it was just a one-off thing and he's past it now," Dixon said.
The Hunter Cup will be the first of two Victorian runs - the $100,000 Group 1 Cranbourne Cup (February 8) will be the other – before he heads to NSW to try and defend another of his titles, the $1 million Miracle Mile on March 8.
But all focus is on the Hunter Cup for now where Leap To Fame will face a stronger field than last year.
Despite the absence of his arch-rival and half-brother Swayzee, Leap To Fame will face newly crowned Inter Dominion hero Don Hugo, in-form Kiwi star Republican Party, former Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave, emerging Kiwi Tact McLeod.
Swayzee, who took advantage of Leap To Fame’s absence to brilliantly win the Victoria Cup at Melton last October, will stay in NSW to focus on the two remaining legs of the NSW Carnival of Cups.
Jason Grimson’s seven-year-old has won the first three legs, the latest at Tamworth last Friday, and victory in the remaining two at Albury on February 14 and Penrith on March 14 will bank connections a record $1 million bonus.
Don Hugo, who hasn’t raced since winning the Menangle Inter Dominion final on December 14, will have a lead-up run at the same track on Saturday night.
It’s the same lead-up race his trainer-driver Luke McCarthy used before King Of Swing won the 2020 and ’22 Hunter Cups.
“He trialled really well at Menangle last week and didn’t have long out, so a run this week should have him right at his top again,” McCarthy said.
Republican Party, Catch A Wave and Tact McLeod will also have lead-up runs in the Casey Classic at Melton on Saturday night.
Also headed towards the Hunter Cup for the first time in his 204 start career is remarkable 10-year-old Bulletproof Boy, who led throughout for by far his biggest of his 46 wins in last night’s $100,000 Group 2 Ballarat Cup.
“He’s earned a crack (at the Hunter Cup). I’ve had the chance to aim it a couple of times before with him, but he hasn’t been ready. He is now,” trainer Scott Ewen said.
“I don’t know if he can beat the big boys, but give him a decent draw and they’ll know he’s there.”
