DON Hugo leads a strong NSW charge as launches his Inter Dominion title defence at Albion Park tomorrow night.
Luke McCarthy’s stable star won the sport’s biggest crown on his own patch at Menangle last year, but this is very different for three main reasons.
The first and by far biggest is the presence of Australasia’s and arguably the world’s best pacer, Leap To Fame, who was missing from last year’s NSW series because of illness.
Go back to 2023 and Leap To Fame romped through a clean sweep of his first Inter Dominion, winning all three heats and the final on his home deck, Albion Park.
Secondly, Don Hugo had to travel this time. Instead of a 20 minute drive down the road to race, he’s on the road and has to take on Leap To Fame at his home ground.
Finally, and crucially, is the gruelling 3157m distance of this year’s Inter Dominion pacing final.
Don Hugo hasn’t raced over anywhere near that distance. The closest he came was the Hunter Cup over 2760m back in February and he ran below expectations that night when fifth to Swayzee with Leap To Fame in second spot.
McCarthy isn’t fussed about the travel factor, but admits the combination of Leap To Fame and a marathon distance in the final is daunting.
Don Hugo has clashed with Leap To Fame three times and beaten him home once, in the 1609m Miracle Mile. This final is almost twice that distance.
“In the shorter races, ‘Hugo’ can be too quick for Leap To Fame as he showed in the Miracle Mile, but the further they go, the better it suits Leap To Fame. He can hold his high speed for so far, it’s amazing.
“There’s no doubt the distance (of this final) favours Leap To Fame, but I’ve still got a lot of faith in my horse. He’s just kept getting better and better over the past 12 months.
“We just have to get through the heats and into the final then hope we can get the sort of run to try and beat him for speed.”
Step one is tomorrow night where the seedings mean Don Hugo is drawn a different heat to Leap To Fame. He’s $1.40 to overcome a back row draw (gate 10) and open the series with a win.
“He’s right where we want. He had a good foundation with those two Menangle wins and then I’ve freshened him for three weeks, so he can build through the heats and peak again for the final,” McCarthy said.
“Put it this way, if anyone can beat Leap To Fame in the final, I think it’s my guy.”
Don Hugo is the best pacing chance in a large team of NSW contenders where the classy Captains Knock, old marvel Max Delight and former Kiwi Beach Ball look best of the rest.
It’s a tough start to the series for the Brad Hewitt-trained Captains Knock and old last year’s Grand Final placegetter Max Delight, who both have to overcome outside front row (gate seven) barrier draws.
Captains Knock clashes with Don Hugo, while Max Delight has Leap To Fame to contend with in his heat.
With last year’s trotting final winner The Locomotive missing after a trip to Sweden, hopes of another NSW win in that series sit mainly with the Jimmy Rattray-trained London To A Brick.
The other trotting contenders are Victorian star Arcee Phoenix and top class Kiwi pair Bet N Win and Oscar Bonavena.
London To A Brick is $2.20 favourite to win his first heat from an ideal draw (gate three) against Oscar Bonavena (gate nine, $2.50).
