By Michael Guerin
The man behind Australian champion pacer Leap To Fame says he doesn’t mind where he draws in Friday’s $1m Race by betcha at Cambridge.
But he does care where his key opponents draw.
Grant Dixon has finally made it to New Zealand with his pacing hero after Leap To Fame was booked to come to last November’s New Zealand Cup but had to be pulled out with a blood complaint.
He was also touted as potentially coming to this slot race last year but never made it so Kiwi fans of truly great horses, and make no mistake Leap To Fame is one, will get rewarded for their patience.
Leap To Fame will join his Miracle Mile conqueror Don Hugo in the pacing race, the pair flying in from Sydney together on Sunday afternoon.
On the same flight was Inter Dominion trotting champ The Locomotive, the horse to beat in the $600,000 TAB Trot, the other slot race at Friday’s massive meeting.
The Locomotive is joined in the trot by fellow Australians Arcee Phoenix, I’m Ready Jet, Not As Promised and Queen Elida as Team Aussie looks to extend their trans-Tasman domination of the last two seasons.
Swayzee has won the last two New Zealand Cups, Bettor Eclipse last season’s Auckland Cup, Victorian trotter Just Believe won almost every major trot in New Zealand last season before retiring while Keayang Zahara thrashed the Kiwi three-year-old trotters last November.
While the best locals headed by Merlin, Don’t Stop Dreaming and Chase A Dream seem to be peaking at the right time for the Race by betcha and Oscar Bonavena is favourite for the trot, another Australian double is on the cards again this Friday.
Leap To Fame is the $2.20 pre-draw favourite over Don Hugo at $3.20, with Don’t Stop Dreaming and defending champion Merlin sharing the $9 third line heading into Tuesday’s barrier draw reveal.
Dixon says he isn’t as worried by Leap To Fame’s barrier draw as what Don Hugo might draw.
“My fella is tough enough to do some work and still win so while I’d love a good draw he can still overcome a bad one,” he says.
“What is almost more important is what Don Hugo or maybe Merlin draw.
“If we draw wide or even second line and one of them draws two and runs straight to the front then it becomes a lot harder.”
Barrier two is the best any of the male pacers in the Race by Betcha can draw, with Duchess Megxit automatically getting barrier 1 under the race conditions.
Dixon says Leap To Fame is holding his elite form well even though his Miracle Mile defeat when sitting parked outside Don Hugo irks his trainer-driver.
“I would have loved to get into the running line a bit earlier around that first bend and maybe we could have gone a bit harder but he still ran through the line well.
“He was really strong in a track record mile rate at Albion Park after that so we are bringing him here happy with his form.”
Leap To Fame’s first trip to New Zealand will be a hit and run mission, with the six-year-old not staying for the features to follow at Alexandra Park but with a chance he could be back for the New Zealand Cup in November.
Big race success here would only be good for his future stallion career and the chances of securing New Zealand mares.
The barrier draw reveal for the Race by Betcha and TAB Trot will be live on Trackside (Sky 62) at 7.30pm on Tuesday.
