Leap To Fame on track for Victorian campaign

Australia’s leading pacer Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight) completed his preparation for an assault on the Victorian country cups with an easy harness racing win in the Ladbrokes Popular SRM Open Pace at Albion Park on Saturday evening.

Pitted against only four rivals Leap To Fame went past pole marker Darin to take up the running and as expected nothing would get close to him. Driver Grant Dixon obviously wanted to give his horse as easy a run as possible but even so Leap To Fame was able to run his last two quarters in 26.8 and 26.4 seconds.

Unextended he defeated his stable mate Tims A Trooper by five metres with Jimartee a further five metres away in third place.

Now a seven year old Leap To Fame has dominated harness racing over the last three years where he has dominated in most of the feature races.

However his campaign in what is likely to be his final season of racing will be restricted. Initially he will aim for the Victorian Country Cups Carnival where he can win a $1 million bonus if he wins four legs of the Country Cups (including the AG Hunter Cup at Melton).

LEAP TO FAME 3 JAN REPLAY

The initial plan is for Leap To Fame to tackle the $50,000 Shepparton Gold Cup on 17 January. He is likely to also run in the $150,000 Cranbourne Cup on 31 January a race that he has won over the last two years. In order to win the bonus he’ll also need to win at either Ballarat or Kilmore which are staged before the Hunter Cup on 14 February.

He’s likely to clash against his latest nemesis Kingman who has defeated him at their last two meetings. And if Swayzee who returned to his best winning the Goulburn Cup on Friday was to make the trip the series then harness racing fans will be in for a treat of racing features.

In winning last night Leap to Fame maintains his record as Australia’s leading stake earner in excess of $5 million and he’s now won 61 races from 78 appearances.

For complete race results, click here.

by Tony Milanese, for Harnesslink