Leap To Fame targets Victoria Cup redemption

Champion pacer Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight) will search redemption within the one main Aussie harness race to elude him.
Leap To Fame Dan Costello Photograph)
Coach-driver Grant Dixon in the present day confirmed the twin Inter Dominion winner would head south for the $250,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup – harness racing’s Cox Plate – at Melton on October 18.
Leap To Fame, Australasia’s all-time richest pacer with over $4.63 million and 56 wins from 69 begins, has chased the Victoria Cup twice with out success.
In 2023 he ran third as a commanding favorite, then he returned final yr however fell ailing simply days earlier than the race and was scratched.
Connections had initially deliberate to bypass the race this yr to concentrate on the $NZ1mil NZ Cup in Christchurch on November 11.
“Once we sat right down to work all of it out, the timing suits and it ensures us some robust racing earlier than NZ the place he’ll have to be completely primed,” proprietor Kevin Seymour mentioned.
Dixon mentioned surety round a return flight from Brisbane to Melbourne was the important thing.
“It’s trying actually good and that makes or breaks the Victoria Cup as an choice,” he mentioned. “We’d look to get down the Thursday, 9 days earlier than the race and head dwelling a day or so after it.
“We’re constructing as if that’s the plan. He’s again working strongly once more, appears nice and since he solely had a brief break, one lead-up race ought to be sufficient.
“We’d look to offer him a begin right here (Albion Park) two weeks forward of the Victoria Cup.”
Leap To Fame hasn’t raced since fully dominating the Brisbane Inter Dominion collection, together with the $1mil Grand Last on July 19.
It was the second time in three years Leap To Fame has gone by way of an Inter Dominion collection unbeaten.
Affirmation the Victoria Cup is a goal units up one other long-awaited conflict between Australasia’s two greatest pacers, half-brothers Leap To Fame and Swayzee.
Swayzee gained the Victoria Cup in Leap To Fame’s absence final yr after which upstaged Leap To Fame once they final clashed in Victoria within the Group 1 Hunter Cup on February 1.
Leap To Fame holds a 4-2 benefit of their six clashes and they’re additionally more likely to conflict within the NZ Cup, a race Swayzee has gained the previous two years.
Dixon mentioned Leap To Fame’s NZ raid can be a one race “hit-and-run” journey.
“He gained’t have a lead-up race over there, it could imply being away for a month,” he mentioned.
“We are able to fly over every week or so earlier than it, probably go round within the ‘Cup trial’ at Addington, after which into the Cup itself.
“We’d wish to have him spot on earlier than we went to NZ, which is one more reason a powerful race just like the Victoria Cup is engaging.”
Swayzee, who has gained 30 of his 67 begins and over $2.2 million, hasn’t raced since ending fourth within the $1mil Group 1 Nullarbor at Gloucester Park on April 25.
He bypassed the Brisbane Inter Dominion to have a protracted spell, however is again in critical work for coach Jason Grimson with the Victoria and NZ Cups his main targets.
by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Victoria

No Result