Leap To Fame winning the 2026 Ballarat Cup
LEAP To Fame showed why he’s one of the greatest pacers of all time when he returned to his stunning best for a dominant win in last night’s $100,000 Group 2 Ballarat Cup (2710m).
He silenced his doubters and set up a magical next three weeks of Group 1 racing in Victoria.
And it kept Leap To Fame’s hopes of landing a new $1 million bonus alive.
Just when it seemed new sensation Kingman had Leap To Fame’s measure with three wins from their first three clashes, the old champ flexed his muscle last night.
In contrast to the Shepparton Cup a week earlier when Kingman led throughout, this time Leap To Fame drew better and worked to the lead.
The seven-year-old winner of over $5 million never looked in danger, especially when Kingman hung badly on the bends while racing outside him.
Leap To Fame’s 1min54.4sec mile rate broke Smolda’s 2017 race and track record by 0.4sec and he paced his last mile in a stunning 1min51.7sec.
“Getting the jump on Kingman at the start was crucial. It seems whoever gets the better trip is the victor at the moment,” Leap To Fame’s trainer-driver Grant Dixon said.
“He felt so good this week, I’m just glad he bounced back because we couldn’t fault him.”
Leap To Fame, Kingman and Bulletproof Boy are the only three pacers left eligible for the $1 million bonus and will need to win the three remaining legs, next Saturday night’s $150,000 Group 1 Cranbourne Cup, the $150,000 Group 1 Kilmore Cup (February 7) and the $250,000 Group 1 Hunter Cup (February 14).
“We’ll be at Cranbourne. The dream is still alive for the bonus albeit it’s going to be very hard to win,” Dixon said.
“The bonus is the reason we came down to Victoria so early, so as long as he’s still a chance of winning it, he’ll go around each week. He thrives on the racing.”
It will be interesting if Kingman backs up for a fourth consecutive week after his wayward antics last night. He did a big job to finish fourth after doing so much wrong.
The fresh player at Cranbourne will be reigning Hunter Cup hero and dual NZ Cup winner Swayzee, who has beaten Leap To Fame twice.
Swayzee, an older half-brother of Leap To Fame, returned to his best when crushed Miracle Mile winner Don Hugo in the Goulburn Cup three weeks ago. He has since won easily again at Menangle.
Also at Ballarat, freakish trotting mare Keayang Zahara cruised to her 22nd win from just 23 starts in the $75,000 Group 2 Ballarat Trotters’ Cup.
It moved her closer to landing a new $500,000 trotting bonus across the Summer of Glory.
Keayang Zahara has two legs and needs to win another two, including the $250,000 Group 1 Great Southern Star on February 14.
She is likely to chase a third win in the $100,000 Group 1 Cranbourne Trotters’ Cup next Saturday night.
“You never think you’re going to get one this good, it’s what dreams are made of,” driver Jason Lee said.
Keayang Zahara broke Just Believe’s track record with a 1min56.9sec mile rate for 2200m, but it was the blistering closing splits of 54.6 and 26.9sec which turned heads.
“They were humming out there, but she relaxed nicely in front and did it pretty comfortably,” Lee said.
PHOTO: Stuart McCormick
