THE barrier draws have added huge intrigue around headline acts Leap To Fame and Don Hugo in the opening round of Ladbrokes Inter Dominion heats at Albion Park on Saturday night.
While the pair dominate prepost betting for the $1 million pacing final on July 19, they will have to overcome tricky draws to open the series with wins.
Defending champion Don Hugo will be first to step out in heat two and starts from three-out on the back row in gate 10.
As good as Luke McCarthy’s stable star has been winning both runs this campaign, it won’t be easy from that draw over the shortish 2138m trip around Albion Park.
Leap To Fame’s uncanny knack of drawing barrier one or inside the back row (in this case gate eight) continued on Saturday night.
The champion stayer is classes better than his rivals and, as good as his trainer-driver Grant Dixon is at escaping tricky spots, there is always some luck involved.
If there’s an upset, the emerging Mossdale Terry (gate one), talented Kiwi Pinseeker (three), old marvel Max Delight (seven) and exciting local Wisper A Secret would be most likely to deliver it.
Despite their awkward opening night draws, Leap To Fame and Don Hugo still completely stifle betting for the final at $1.30 and $3.50 respectively.
The first of the three pacing heats is headlined by the strange clash of three sets of stablemates. Jess Tubbs’ only two pacing runners – Better Eclipse (gate one) and Rakero Rebel (two) – are joined by Shannon Price’s pair Sure Thing Captain (four) and Speak The Truth (five).
Two of Victorian trainer Andy Gath’s three pacing series runners, Tango Tara (eight) and Catch A Wave (11) – also clash.
The trotting series is a lot more and Saturday night’s two heats should give some content to whether the Kiwis or the Aussies have an edge.
Brilliant Kiwi veteran Oscar Bonavena will be suited from a back row draw (gate nine) in the first trotting heat (race five), where enigmatic Aussie pair London To A Brick (gate three) and Gus (12) are the other key runners.
Young Kiwi star Bet N Win has drawn ideally in the pole to make an early statement in heat two, especially with Australia’s leading hope, Arcee Phoenix, drawn right outside the front row (seven).
Drama and suspense surrounds Saturday night’s other Albion Park feature, the $300,000 Group 1 Rising Sun.
One-time favourite Bay Of Biscay was to fly from Melbourne to Brisbane today (Tuesday), but his hopes now hinge on a possible flight Friday.
Bay Of Biscay and stablemate War Dan Buddy are on standby if the Friday flight is confirmed, but sources say there is only a “very remote” chance it will. If it doesn’t, they will be scratched.
This fifth running of the Rising Sun has a record number of three-year-olds engaged and they all draw well under the preferential conditions in the race restricted to three and four-year-olds.
Path To Greatness has gate one, Hesitate (two), Rubira (three) and Fate Awaits will start from inside the back row (eight).
