Larry is back

National superstar Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight) is the highlight of this weekend’s harness racing with his return in a Free For All at Albion Park this Saturday night.

In what is probably his final season of racing Leap To Fame will be set for a number of key feature events starting with the New Zealand Cup at Christchurch on 10 November.

Over the 1660 metre trip Leap To Fame is not likely to be seriously tested by any of his six rivals which include Speak The Truth and Captain Shuffles who is also resuming.

At Menangle on Saturday night, the main event is the Menangle Trotters Cup where Brad Hewitt’s improved trotter Cormoran Strike off 10 metres will be looking to avenge his last start defeat by the Italian trotter Gandhi Mail who comes off 20 metres. The David Aiken trained pair of Pesco Pollo and Speedy Lover will also be in contention.

However the opening event the Free For All will be a keenly contested affair with the in form Springfield Affair whose won his last four starts perfectly drawn on the pole but up against the highly promising Dangerous who went 1.49.8 in a recent trial at Menangle as well as the talented pacer Nyack who is ready to win shortly.

Feature races will be prevalent this Saturday at Melton following the highly successful APG VicBred Super Series.

The Aldebaran Park Tatlow Stakes for two year old trotters sees the appearance of the promising filly Kyvalley Dixon who looked every inch a rising star with her win in last weeks VicBred Final. However she’ll face stiff opposition from Phoenix Rex who has only been beaten once in five starts. Add in Regal Gala who doesn’t know anything except trot all the way and Insulator and we have the makings of a top race.

The Sires Classic for three year old colts and geldings will feature Soho Trump from the pole up against the Emma Stewart trained pair of Dynamite Dan and Brooklyn Dan while Atua Magic will be looking to improve on his first up performance at Kilmore last week.

The Sires Classic for three year old fillies is no less competitive and the consistent filly Willows Girl is resuming in a small field of six runners. The New Zealand bred filly Tactically Perfect will be prominent as will be last start Melton winner Soho Amaryllis and Sweet Irish Loch who acquitted herself admirably in the recent VicBred series.

At Gloucester Park on Friday evening the Group 1 Channel Seven $150,000 Golden Slipper Stakes is the main highlight. Hez The Boss has swept all before him this season with eight wins from nine starts but he has it all to do having drawn the outside of the front row in nine.

His main opponents are likely to be Ignite The Furnace (barrier 1) and Ideal Whisper (barrier 2). There was a lot to like about Ideal Whisper’s tough win last start in the Golden Slipper Prelude when he did plenty of work in the run.

Finally the action is hotting up with the First round of heats in the New South Wales breeders challenge if Don Hunter’s win over Oh Its On at Menangle on Tuesday is any indication.

Heats are run on Friday at Wagga and Newcastle. At Wagga the two year old fillies event sees Comeandsee who finished fourth in the Protostar at Albion Park in July resuming. Awkwardly drawn on the second row she will need to be at her best to beat the local fillies Atomik Go Anna and Frith In Flight who are both racing well.

The colts and geldings division is just as keen with the presence of the Victorian trio of Straathdale, Gocciadoro and Boystrous up against the local unbeaten gelding Teddy Lou.

 

by Tony Milanese for Harnesslink