THE champ is back.
Leap To Fame launches a campaign which could see him become Australasia’s all-time richest pacer when he steps out at Albion Park on Saturday night.
It will be one of at least two lead-up runs before the Ladbrokes Inter Dominion starts at Albion Park on July 5.
Leap To Fame, who boasts 50 wins and over $4 million in prize money, hasn’t started since one of the best wins in his career in the $NZ1 million Race by betcha at Cambridge on April 4.
The six-year-old worked so well last Saturday, co-trainers Grant and Trista Dixon opted to take him straight back to the races without a trial.
“Gee he worked well,” Grant Dixon said. “The trials up here are only over a mile and you end up running terrific time in them, so we felt we might as well just take him straight to the races.
“We’re really happy with him. By racing this week, it also gives us a bit of time in case another race or two don’t stand-up between now and the Inter Dominion.”
Dixon was thrilled with how well Leap To Fame handled his first trip to NZ for the big Cambridge win.
“He thrived and came home in great order. It didn’t take much at all out of him and he obviously raced so well over there,” he said.
“He’s carrying a bit of weight, we’ll need to get off him before the Inter Dominion, but we’ve got time on our side.”
Leap To Fame has won his past 16 starts at Albion Park with the last defeat way back on November 4, 2023.
He started from an awkward inside draw that night and never saw daylight before finishing fourth.
Dixon pointed to a similarly awkward draw as the biggest challenge this week.
“You wouldn’t believe he’s drawn inside the back row again. I’ve never seen a horse get these awkward draws more than him,” he said.
“It makes it tricky. There’s a few nice horses in this race and you can’t afford to snag back at the start or you’ll be giving away a huge start when they’re running super times up front. We’re going to need some luck.”
Leap To Fame, who won the 2023 Inter Dominion and missed last year’s series with a health issue, is a $1.50 prepost favourite for this year’s $1 million final on July 19.
Dixon will also have recent stable addition Captain Hammerhead, who beat the great stayer Swayzee in the Albury Cup earlier this year, step-out at Albion Park on Saturday night.
“His trial for us was OK, but we’re still getting to know him,” he said. “We’ll know a lot more after this race and we’ve gone to the standing-start race because we’re looking at races like the Flashing Red and Redcliffe Cup with him,” he said.
Captain Hammerhead won 14 races and over $350,000 for Victorian trainer David Moran before switching to Team Dixon a few weeks back.
Team Dixon also has two of the major players – Fire And Passion (gate two) and Fight For Glory (11) – in Saturday night’s $50,000 Group 2 Qbred 2YO final, which shapes a key pointer to the $500,000 Protostar.
“They’re both nice horses, but given the draws Fire And Passion is our best hope, but Barsby has the pole and will be hard to beat,” Grant said.
