Leap To Fame adds the missing jewel to his crown

Leap To Fame (Bettors Delight – Lettucereason) has finally conquered Addington, overcoming a slushy track and another tough run to win the $800,000 Go Media New Zealand Trotting Cup (Group 1) over 3200m on Tuesday.

Starting the $1.90 favourite from barrier eight on the front line, the seven-year-old beat Marketplace by a neck. Tact McLeod was three-quarters of a length away in third, with Swayzee a length further back in fourth.

The Cup was the one major prize missing from his record. Leap To Fame ran second in the race 12 months ago, 3.75 metres behind Kingman, and the stable built this year’s campaign around a return to Christchurch.

Swayzee, his half-brother and the Cup winner in 2023 and 2024, was first to find the front and was not handing up. The champion settled behind Swayzee early, but Dixon brought Leap To Fame forward with two laps to go to sit parked, with Marketplace on his back.

Kingman, last year’s winner, galloped at the start and settled at the tail of the field. He launched three wide with well over a lap to go and did plenty of work on the heavy surface. Fellow Australian Minos was never in contention.

Down the back straight on the final lap and rounding the home turn, the three Australians were spread across the track, with Swayzee on the pegs, Leap To Fame outside him and Kingman three wide, as the pace lifted. Swayzee fought back, but Leap To Fame wore him down and held off Marketplace, who was searching for room in the straight.

He did it the hard way, racing parked outside a dual Cup winner with a horse of Marketplace’s quality on his back. The four-year-old went down narrowly at his first Cup start.

Tact McLeod, a $151 chance, grabbed third. Kingman battled on for ninth after his early setback, while Minos finished last.

The mile rate was 1:58.9, with the last 800m in 55.4 and the last 400m in 28.5.

Dixon, who trains and drives the champion, said the win meant a great deal at this stage of the horse’s career.

“Just so proud of him, he delivered once again at the late stage of his career,” Dixon said.

Dixon also summed up what keeps the champion going.

“He just loves winning,” Dixon said.

It was a big day for Queensland, with Gus going back-to-back in the Dominion Trot earlier on the card.

The Cup was Leap To Fame’s 17th win from 20 starts in 2026, a year that also includes The Race at Cambridge, the Miracle Mile at Menangle, the Ballarat Cup, the Cranbourne Gold Cup and the Kilmore Pacing Cup. He came into the race unbeaten in four starts at Albion Park since resuming on September 26.

Leap To Fame is among the nominations for Friday’s $150,000 Hill Lee & Scott NZ Pacing Free-For-All (Group 1) over 1980m by the mobile at Addington. The first five Cup finishers are invited to start under the race conditions.

Most of Tuesday’s rivals are also nominated, along with Captains Mistress, the four-year-old mare who beat Leap To Fame by 1.2 metres in the Inter Dominion final at Albion Park in July.

Leap To Fame is due to retire to stud after next July’s Inter Dominion in Brisbane. Bred by Redbank Lodge Standardbreds, owned by Solid Earth Pty Ltd and trained by Grant Dixon, Leap To Fame has now won 77 of his 97 starts, with 15 seconds and three thirds. He had earned $6,579,363 before collecting the NZ$432,000 winner’s cheque, which takes his career prizemoney close to $7 million.

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From Harnesslink Media