CHAMPION pacer Leap To Fame could be more vulnerable in his first round Brisbane Inter Dominion heat tomorrow night (Saturday) than the $1 million final two weeks later.
Trainer-driver Grant Dixon concedes the worst possible barrier draw (gate eight, inside the back row) makes his champion pacer Leap To Fame genuinely vulnerable in the opening round of heats.
“The fact is, from a draw like that, you’re always going to need luck,” he said. “I’d love that draw with every other horse we’ve got in the series, just not Leap To Fame.
“It’s uncanny how often he’s drawn there or one – the two draws which don’t suit him – and it’s a challenge every time.”
In contrast to many other times when Dixon has pushed through and found his way off the inside and away from being pocketed, he hinted at taking less risk this time.
“I think I’ve just got to take my medicine and back out at the start. It could get really tight on the inside,” he said.
Leap To Fame is unbeaten at the Inter Dominion. He went through 2023 Brisbane series – three heats and final – unbeaten and is $2.50 to take a clean sweep again this year.
But those snapping-up the odds could have a harder ride than expected in round one, despite Leap To Fame being $1.12 favourite.
“Whether it’s pushing through and driving him for a bit of luck, or backing out at the start and giving the leaders a huge head start, the draw has given us an early challenge,” Dixon said.
Opening night over 2138m is also the shortest distance the great stayer Leap To Fame has to contend with in the series. Round two stretches to 2680m on July 12 and the final is over a gruelling 3157m.
Most feel the further they go the better for Leap To Fame, but Dixon pointed out he is yet to race beyond 2760m.
“It’s like Leap To Fame got the pick the distance of the final,” joked rival Luke McCarthy, who trains and drives defending champion Don Hugo.
Dixon is more circumspect: “You assume he’ll like it (3157m), but it is still an unknown. I’d have preferred a 2680m final because we know he thrives at that.”
But he admits Leap To Fame, who goes into the series the shortest priced pre-post final favourite in history at $1.30, looks superbly placed against his opposition.
“Providing he has no bad luck on the way through, it looks his final to lose,” he said.
“You have to respect Don Hugo and a great horseman like Luke (McCarthy), and there’s often a horse who emerges through the series, but right now we’re clearly the horse to beat.”
Having the series at his home track is another huge plus for Leap To Fame. He’s raced 42 times at Albion Park for 36 wins, four seconds, a third and a luckless fourth.
Leap To Fame hasn’t been beaten at the track since a desperately unlucky fourth on November 4, 2023.
The six-year-old has won 19 successive starts at Albion Park since.
