Leap To Fame. Photo by Club Menangle (PacePix)
Leap To Fame may have to produce another 'off the canvas' style performance if he is to claim his second Miracle Mile at Menangle on Saturday night.
The Queensland star called on his all his trademark toughness in last week's qualifier when he worked, looked in danger but fought back in true warrior fashion.
He faces an even tougher task on Saturday in a stacked Miracle Mile where his main rivals are a mix of his old sparring partners and younger rising talents.
Leap To Fame is better known over longer distances but last week's win was his seventh from just nine mile attempts and he has recorded a win and a second in the last two runnings of the Miracle Mile.
There are plenty of challengers in a race packed with depth and chances are he'll have to do some work again but there's no doubt he'll fight for it.
There is no more exciting prospect in Australasian harness racing than Captains Mistress.
The mare has been sensational in winning all six starts for Jason Grimson, two at Group 1 level including last week's Chariots of Fire.
She has been tackling her own age or the mares so she faces a different level of pressure against the big guns but has brilliant speed and is five from five at the mile.
Saturday night will be the true test of where she ranks.
Two-time Hunter Cup winner Swayzee gets the same draw he had when he was beaten for speed and locked away for a luckless fourth in last year's Miracle Mile but he was terrific from the outside last week and looks right at his best again.
The Janitor has been simmering as a big-time player for a while and looks ready to measure up at the top level now after sweeping home to win when first up last week.
Last year's winner Don Hugo will have to create history after drawing the outside barrier- no horse has won a Miracle Mile from there – but there's no doubt he is going well after last week's luckless third so it will be up to trainer-driver Luke McCarthy to produce some magic.
Brad Hewitt will need to do the same in the NSW Derby after his unbeaten colt Hollywood Strip also came up with the extreme outside barrier.
The colt had looked the clear top-seed for the Derby after stretching his perfect run to seven in his lead-up races but the draw has thrown the race on its head and presents him with a huge challenge.
He looks the real deal and his form has been franked, beating most of Saturday's main rivals with his resuming win at Listed level in the Simpson Memorial before proving too good for older rivals last time, both at this circuit and distance.
The three winners of last week's Derby heats finished behind him in the Simpson Memorial and he'll be peaking so will counting on a masterful Hewitt drive to get him home.
Former Kiwi Zeus Lightning is another hitting his best at the right time. He progressed off his fresh second to Hollywood Strip for a strong heat win by close to 7m last week, both times coming from one spot wider than where he starts on Saturday.
Expect him to push forward again and the race maps to pan out well for him.
Showmethetanlines took his record over the Menangle mile to three from five when winning his heat last week. He should get a soft run from the inside draw so could be dangerous.
Fire And Passion and Soho Trump are both reliable colts who draw to be competitive so are worth including in exotics.
Could the Menangle mile again prove a hoodoo for wonder trotter Keayang Zahara in the Hammerhead Trotters Mile?
The glamour mare has only once been beaten in 27 starts and that came the only time she raced over 1609m at Menangle.
She has gone from strength to strength since. adding another Group 1 to her imposing record when she drew clear for an 11m win in the Grand Prix at Melton last start and she won the Oaks and the Derby the other two times she raced at Menangle so can atone for that one shock defeat.
Brilliant Queenslander Gus is a new challenger to the mare in the Hammerhead and it is a much-anticipated clash.
He has been a revelation with five straight wins over the last five months including a Group 1 double in New Zealand.
His two Brisbane wins since a spell have been over longer distances and he hasn't tried the mile but he'll be peaking having won four of five previous third-up attempts.
He starts from the outside barrier and it is never easy from there but he has overcome adversity before.
Manners let Jilliby Ballerini down last start but she had a series of wins or seconds to Keayang Zahara prior and she draws to be prominent.
Watts Up Partytime will need his manners from the ace draw but he is in form, winning all three times he has raced in NSW since joining Rickie Alchin.
VIEW THE RACING AND SPORTS FORMGUIDE FOR MENANGLE SATURDAY
