Tough draw adds new challenge for Leap To Fame in Victoria Cup
Grant Dixon conceded Leap To Fame’s quest to win his first Victoria Cup “got way harder” after drawing the worst possible barrier in Saturday night’s feature.
The champion pacer landed barrier eight (inside the back row), which means luck and how his rivals are driven could be just as important as his own greatness.
“It’s going to be very difficult now, especially being over just 2240m, not 2760m,” Dixon said.
“If you drag back to get into the clear, you’re conceding a huge start to some really good horses, but if you push through you seriously risk being pocketed and never seeing daylight. “It’s made it way harder and certainly made for an intriguing race now.”
Get trackside or watch the big night on 7Two, Sky Racing or TrotsVision
Saturday will be a night jam-packed with entertainment, with five big Group 1s and plenty to take in, whether you watch it at Melton Entertainment Park or from the comfort of your home.
For those venturing trackside, there will be free children's rides, food trucks, a live DJ, and great prizes to be won.
The night's races will be broadcast live and free on 7Two, which will cross from its coverage of the famed Caulfield Cup and Everest to showcase Melton's blockbuster nine-race card. Viewers can also take the racing in on Sky Racing or www.TrotsVision.com.au.
Between the first at 6.28pm and the last at 10.53pm there will be six feature races:
Race 3, 7.30pm: Pryde's EasiFeed Victoria Oaks (Group 1)
Race 4, 8.10pm: Aledbaran Park Bill Collins Trotters Sprint (Group 1)
Race 5, 8.47pm: Woodlands Stud Victoria Derby (Group 1)
Race 6, 9.22pm: Sportsbet Victoria Cup (Group 1)
Race 7, 9.54pm: Renown Silverware Victoria Trotters Oaks (Group 1)
Race 8, 10.24pm: Hertz Melton Ladyship Cup (Group 3)
Blake to be 'watching and cheering' as Larry shoots for Vic Cup
Superstar jockey Blake Shinn will go from riding great horses during the day to cheering one home on Saturday night.
Key contender Caulfield Cup contender Vauban for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott headlines Shinn’s rides on Saturday before he heads home to watch champion pacer Leap To Fame try to add the Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton to his amazing CV.
Shinn, part of one of harness racing’s most famous families, is no stranger to the sport of sulkies.
“I love it. When I was growing up as a kid, I’d spend every school holidays working at either Uncle Glen’s (Tippet) or Uncle Ken’s (Tippet) stables,” he said. “I was right into it. I’d drive heaps of them in work and watch the races.”
Champion pacer Leap To Fame will headline the best harness horses from Australia and New Zealand to chase two exciting new bonuses on Victoria’s feature summer races.
In a huge boost for the sport, Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) unveiled $1.5 million in insured bonuses – $1 million for pacers and $500,000 for trotters – across the six biggest weeks of the Summer of Glory.
Although there are six legs in the bonus series, the $1 million will be paid on any pacer who can win four legs (including the Hunter Cup) and $500,000 to any trotter who can four legs (including the Great Southern Star).
Industry aligns to boost breeders' first-win bonus benefits
More money will be directed to breeders under a change to Vicbred first-win bonus allocations, which took effect in Victoria from October 13.
Foal nominators will be allocated 15 per cent of any first-win bonus, up from 5 per cent. The increase will gift breeders an extra $700 each time their maidens break through and win $7000 Vicbred bonuses.
Owners (80 per cent) and trainers (5 per cent) will retain their present allocations, while studmasters and drivers will no longer each receive 5 per cent of the bonus, which instead is redirected to foal nominators.
Harness Racing Victoria Chief Executive Officer Matt Isaacs said the change reflected the industry’s determination to support those who provided our next track stars.
Harness Racing Victoria hosted roadshows in Kilmore, Charlton, and Terang in September, when Chair Bernard Saundry and CEO Matt Isaacs reviewed the 2025 financial year and forecast plans for 2026 and beyond.
Kilmore was the first stop, which was live streamed on TrotsVision, and followed by great attendance at Charlton and Terang, where the passionate harness racing communities took in the presentation and engaged in a Q&A.
Bendigo outlook to brighten with major lighting upgrade
Bendigo Harness Racing Club will undergo a $1.8 million LED lighting and technology system upgrade, which will significantly improve visibility and cut ongoing costs.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and the Minister for Racing Anthony Carbines joined the club and Harness Racing Victoria officials at Lords Raceway to make the announcement, with the state contributing $1.36 million through its Victorian Racing Infrastructure Fund.
The project will replace the club’s aging system with 190 new LED lights, which will last longer, run more efficiently, and improve visibility for participants, fans, and broadcasters.
Lang elevated to Legend among Hall of Fame celebration
The late, great Gavin Lang was elevated to the 12th Legend of Victorian harness racing at Saturday night’s Hall of Fame ceremony, capping a night that also saw six inductions and the first great families celebrated.
Lang was only the sixth participant to be named a Legend, joining greats of the track Gordon Rothacker (2012), George Gath (2014), Vin Knight (2017), Bill McKay (2018), and last year’s recipient Ted Demmler.
Lang, who passed in 2020 after a battle with cancer, was a popular recipient of the honour, which was received by his sister Michelle and her daughter Alex. The pair spoke of his humble nature, which meant it was only after his passing that they realised how much he was adored in the sport, having produced 6303 victories and won his owners almost $50 million in stakes across 32,000 starts.
Melton Entertainment Park’s Legends room was fittingly at capacity for the annual celebration, when associates Len Baker and Peter Wharton, participants John Caldow and Phonse Hickey, and horses Lennytheshark and Pure Steel were all inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The night’s 15th ceremony was also special for the introduction of the Family category, with the Gaths, Rothackers, and Shinns all lauded for their generations of famous harness racing performers.
Smoken Up Sprint shock as Bulletproof Boy delivers stunning return
Dan Mielicki must have felt a sense of déjà vu when he asked, “Has the world ended?” as the horses crossed the line in the Smoken Up Sprint at Melton on Saturday night.
Along with the crowd, Mielicki was stunned as Victoria’s most popular pacer, the 10-year-old Bulletproof Boy, first up from a spell, grabbed champion pacer Leap To Fame on the line to record his third win in the race.
Mielicki first uttered those famous words 25 years ago when the Richard Hancock-trained Kyema Kid stormed past Courage Under Fire, who was previously unbeaten in 25 starts, in a heat of the 2000 Inter Dominion series at Moonee Valley.
The race appeared to be going to script as Leap To Fame, the prohibitive $1.06 favourite, straightened with a clear lead from Miki Pins and Bulletproof Boy, who pulled off the pegs to stake an unlikely successful assault on the horse considered by many to be the best in the world. And then it happened.
Racegoers are hoping to see Australia’s best trotter, Keayang Zahara, in the flesh at the Victoria Cup meeting after she made a stunning return to the racetrack in the V. L. Dullard Cup.
Having her first start since May, Keayang Zahara settled at the rear of the field and was giving the leader, reigning Inter Dominion champion Arcee Phoenix, 35 metres with 800 metres to travel.
When asked by Jason Lee to make ground shortly after, Keayang Zahara produced a sustained sprint to reel in Arcee Phoenix around the home turn before surging away to score by six metres in a mile rate of 1:56.8. Lee could scarcely hide his exhilaration at Keayang Zahara’s return.
Adam Hamilton: Melton night of shocks and brilliance
Entrée night turned into so much more at Melton last Saturday.
The almost unthinkable defeat of Leap To Fame and the mesmerising first-up win of Keayang Zahara left us all gasping (albeit in different ways), talking, wondering and wanting more. And more comes in just five days.
Let’s start with Leap To Fame. Nobody saw that coming. What was supposed to be a formality became the biggest shock in Victorian harness racing for almost 26 years.
In July HRV announced Victorian owners will race for $2.75 million in Vicbred Vouchers from September 2025 to November 2026, where the winners of 550 races would receive $5000 vouchers to be spent on breeding or buying the next big thing.
In September, there were 20 vouchers won, including:
Lexton trainer Ashleigh Herbertson, who won the first with Maxy Bomber at Terang and called it "a big start"
Allendale owner-trainer Adam Stephens, who won the second at Swan Hill with Ruby Wingate and said he would use the voucher to get her sister, Union Belle, in foal
And Scotts Creek breeder and part-owner Anthony O'Connor, who won a voucher with The Knockabout at Stawell, which he said would be put towards service fees. "I think it's good to encourage people to keep breeding," he told thetrots.com.au, click to read more.
The map below shows how the vouchers have quickly filtered to owners throughout the state:
There are still plenty of vouchers to be won in October. Here are the associated races:
Pacing:
October 17 Swan Hill – up to NR39
October 20 Terang – up to NR49
October 21 Mildura – maiden
October 21 Shepparton – 2YO maiden
October 22 Bendigo – mares up to NR50
October 27 Ararat – 4YO+ maiden
October 30 Ballarat – 3YO maiden
October 31 Maryborough – mares up to NR50
Trotters
October 13 Maryborough – up to NR42
October 16 Ballarat – 4YO+ maiden
October 22 Bendigo – NR30+ handicap
October 26 Maryborough 3YO maiden
To contact the Racing office, call 03 8378 0291 from 7.30 am-3.30 pm on weekdays or 8-9 am on weekends and public holidays, or email racing@hrv.org.au. For late scratchings or driver changes out of hours, leave a message on 03 9214 0650.
From HRV's customer service, futurities, and licensing:
FUTURITIES:
VICBRED: HarnessWeb access has opened for Vicbred acceptances and series fees for eligible 2YO, 3YO, and 4YOs for 2026. Automatic invoicing will be actioned at the start of December, with payment required by February 2026. Further information will be updated on Vicbred - The Trots over coming weeks and communicated via email/sms.
LICENSING:
RENEWALS: Licensees can renew online through Harnessweb, including upload their medical and betting declarations (drivers).
To have a licence activated you must complete payment and HRV's online compliance courses through the Safetrac Portal. For more details, please visitLicensing - The Trots.
REGISTRATIONS:
FOAL NOTIFICATIONS: Online foal notifications for breeding services in the 2024/2025 season are available through HarnessWeb. All services must be submitted regardless of the outcome. For a live foal, please ensure this is actioned within three weeks from foaling date to avoid late penalties. For more details, visitFoal Notifications & Microchipping - The Trots.
MICROCHIPPING: Microchip packs will be dispersed within days of the live foal notification being submitted. The packs will be sent to the location where the foal is residing. Please ensure that if you are engaging your own vet, they scan the code on the microchipping guidelines to register as an HRV-approved vet. This code is sent in with the package or via Foal Notifications & Microchipping - The Trots. This must be done prior to the vet visiting your property to microchip your foal. For more details and all FAQs, please visitFoal Notifications & Microchipping - The Trots.
REGISTRATION FORMS: A reminder that from July 1, 2025, the following transaction functions must be completed online through HarnessWeb:
Foal notifications
Namings
Transfers of ownership
Licence applications including renewals
Leases
Deregistration/death of horses
Split prizemoney payments
ACCOUNTS:
SPLIT PRIZEMONEY PAYMENTS: Managing owners of partnerships can set-up split prizemoney payments via HarnessWeb, with stake money distribution split to all owners, including futurity win bonuses and participant-incentive bonuses. To be eligible, owners must have active HarnessWeb accounts populated with up-to-date emails and Australian/International bank account details. For more details, please visitSplit Prizemoney Payments - The Trots.
Have a query? Contact HRV's Customer Service Team on 03 8378 0200, 8.30 am-5 pm on weekdays, or email info@hrv.org.au
From Pony Trots Victoria:
After their season returned on September 13, the Hygain Pony Trots Victoria (PTV) is in full swing as participants build-up to this Saturday's blockbuster Pony Trots Victoria Cup.
There have been lots of celebrations on PTV's official Facebook page, with racing already run and won at Shepparton, Ballarat, Bendigo, and Melton.
Among the big celebration was the Hygain Ballarat Pony Trots Cup (pictured) on October 2, the first of the season's pony trots country cups. Here are the results:
Enquiries and nominations are being received for Harness Racing Victoria's life after racing program, HRV Hero, with a steady number of horses being rehomed, both through our valued retrainers and the direct off-the-track avenues.
HRV industry notice - Amendments to Australian Harness Racing Rules
HRV has adopted amendments to the AHRR, which were approved by Harness Racing Australia on July 18. They take effect from October 1 and include:
Medical and surgical procedures
Priorities concerning horse to be driven
Offences relating to sulkies
Anabolic steroids
Log books, and
Animal welfare
All individuals covered by the AHRR must familiarise themselves with the full list of amendments. Click here for more information.
HRV industry notice - Reminder on public comments and media interviews
HRV acknowledges and appreciates the valuable role that licensed participants play in promoting harness racing through media interviews and public commentary. Engaging positively with the media helps showcase the sport and strengthens the connection between participants and the public.
At the same time, participants are reminded of their obligations when providing interviews, commentary, or making public statements relating to races and their involvement:
Any assessment or commentary must remain fair, balanced, and professional
Where a participant has a connection to horses engaged in a race (as trainer, driver, owner, or stable representative), additional care is required to avoid any perception of bias, conflict of interest, or the disclosure of information that may influence betting markets
Public comments must not bring the industry, other participants, or officials into disrepute
Disparaging, misleading, or speculative remarks regarding the conduct of races, horse performances, or stewards’ decisions are not permitted
All statements must comply with the Australian Harness Racing Rules
Participants play a key role in building trust and confidence with the public, and commentary must always uphold the integrity and reputation of the sport. Failure to meet these obligations may result in action being taken under the Rules of Racing. For clarification on your responsibilities, please refer to the AHRR or contact HRV stewards.
HRV industry notice - Fraudulent/improve nominations
To maintain that any horse nominated is a genuine nomination and has not been nominated purely to ensure a race with minimal nominations proceeds in the racing program, HRV stewards remind all participants of their obligations under the Australian Harness Racing Rules (AHRR).
AHRR 216 reads: A person, whether alone or in association with others, shall not fraudulently or improperly nominate or start a horse in a race.
HRV industry notice - False documents and online information
HRV stewards remind all participants of their obligations under the Australian Harness Racing Rules (AHRR)to ensure that any document or online information furnished to HRV is true and accurate, and are legitimately signed for and/or provided online by the person authorising the contents submitted.
There have been recent instances where it has been discovered that participants have forged signatures and/or altered the information provided to HRV, thereby not providing true and accurate information. Such participants have been prosecuted at the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT). Examples of this include, but are not limited to:
Nomination forms (via HarnessWeb)
Transfers of ownership (via HarnessWeb)
Notifications of lease of a horse (via HarnessWeb)
Notifications of surrender of a lease (via HarnessWeb)
Compulsory driver’s medical examinations
AHRR 241, reads: A person shall not, in connection with any part of the harness racing industry, do anything which is fraudulent or corrupt.
Offences under AHRR 216 and 241 are classified as “serious offences” and, as such, will be referred to the VRT. HRV stewards will continue to seek significant penalties for offences under these rules, ranging from fines to periods of disqualification.
In addition, HRV stewards may also consider the suitability of a person to be licensed in accordance with the HRV Licensing and Registration Policy (Policy), and whether or not such person is a fit and proper person to be associated with harness racing.
