Leap to Fame with Grant & Trista Photo by Stuart McCormick
CHAMPION pacer Leap To Fame is taking his greatness overseas.
A powerhouse and important win at Sydney's Menangle track last night cemented Leap To Fame's first international trip to Christchurch for the iconic $NZ1mil NZ Cup at Addington on November 12.
The NZ Cup is the biggest race of any code in NZ and was first run in 1904.
Only two Australian-trained pacers have been able to win the race since 1987. They were Arden Rooney in 2015 and Swayzee last year.
The NZ Cup has been on the radar for several months but looked in huge doubt when Leap To Fame was scratched from the Group 1 Victoria Cup on October 12 with a virus.
Last night's Menangle run was his first race since and a defining test.
"You couldn't ask for more. He won well, did it easily, ran fast, and came through it really well," Seymour said.
"We're off the NZ Cup now and can't wait to get there.
"It's a race we've been excited about for a long time, and now we can get excited again because he's going."
"He's booked on the flight next Sunday, and everything is going well. It means he can run in the Cup trial at Addington the week before."
"That's the plan, but plans can change. It's up to Grant. If he thinks he's travelled and settled well and thinks another hit out like that would help, then he'll go to the Cup trial."
Leap To Fame's win last night was his first start since winning the Group 3 Smoken Up Sprint at Melton on October 5.
Six days later, on the eve of the Group 1 Victoria Cup, Leap To Fame was scratched from the race with a virus.
It cast grave doubts on the planned NZ trip, but a speedy recovery turned things around.
"There were a few days there when I didn't think we'd go, I'll be honest," Seymour said.
"You think to yourself how hard a race it (NZ Cup) is to win. How gruelling a race it is."
"And, in those days after the Victoria Cup, we wondered whether any setback at all would make it hard to have him exactly where we want him, where we need him, for a race like the NZ Cup."
"But Grant's been so happy with him in Sydney, and we had this race to test him out."
"He's back right where we want him. He's good to go."
Leap To Fame's win was his 44th from just 55 starts, and he's banked $3,248,810.
Following his win last night, the five-year-old firmed from $1.80 to $1.55 to win the NZ Cup.
He is trying to become just the third Aussie-trained winner of the NZ Cup since My Lightning Blue way back in 1987.
The others were Kerryn Manning's Arden Rooney in 2015 and Swayzee for Jason Grimson last year.
