D-DAY is almost here for Leap To Fame’s Miracle Mile plans.
Owner Kevin Seymour confirmed a decision would be made this weekend whether Leap To Fame chases a second win in the $1 million Miracle Mile on March 14.
At this stage, it seems unlikely.
Leap To Fame returned from Melbourne to trainer Grant Dixon’s Tambourine stables outside Brisbane after his epic second to half-brother Swayzee in last Saturday night’s Group 1 Hunter Cup at Melton.
To chase the Miracle Mile, Seymour said Leap To Fame would have to race at Newcastle next Friday.
“Grant has used the Newcastle Mile to qualify him the past two years and if we go down, it would be the same again,” he said. “He doesn’t like the other option of having to run in those qualifiers the week before (at Menangle).
“We’ve done a lot of talking about it this week and agreed to wait and make a final decision over the weekend. We’re mindful the horse only got home on Monday.
“He’s had such a long stint away from home and he’s had lots of hard racing with those five runs in as many weeks, including a few really hard runs.
“That’s the big difference from the past two years. He’s never had anything like that sort of racing so early in the year.
“It’s a difficult decision. I know how much everyone would love him back at Menangle, but we’ve got to put the horse first.
“If it’s the right thing, the kindest thing to do by him, then we’ll give him a freshen-up instead. We’ll let everyone know as soon as we make our decision.
“We’ve said all along a trip back to Cambridge is definite, so it could be a freshen-up now is best for him.
Cambridge will be a title defence for Leap To Fame in the $NZ1 million Race by betcha on April 10, which he won with one the best performances of his stellar career last year.
Leap To Fame created history winning the 2024 Miracle Mile from the widest draw (gate seven) and then sat outside Don Hugo for a fighting second last year.
Seymour said he was beyond proud of the seven-year-old’s brave and close second in the Hunter Cup.
“Of course you’re disappointed when he doesn’t win, but it’s because he usually has the hardest run and did again last Saturday,” he said. “There’s not another horse in Australasia who could’ve done that work and got so close.”
Beyond Cambridge, Leap To Fame will be set for a third Brisbane Inter Dominion crown in July.
Seymour said any talk of retirement to stud was on hold until after the Inter Dominion.
“There’s loads of interest in him, so the call we’ve got is whether he goes to stud later this year or we wait and give him another year of racing,” he said.
“The horse will tell us with his form and how well he’s coming through his races, which has always been one of his great strengths.
“But you would have to say he’s racing as well now as he ever has with those performances in Victoria.”
PHOTO: Club Menangle/Pacepix
