Champion pacer Leap To Fame may have to do what he couldn’t do last year to win a $1 million bonus in Saturday night’s Group 1 Hunter Cup at Melton.
Mighty stayer and arch-rival Swayzee drew better in gate two and is the most likely of the big guns to find the lead. Leap To Fame snared gate six, while new sensation Kingman has the back row (gate 10).
Swayzee’s used a better draw to lead, smash the track record and beat a gallant Leap To Fame in last year’s Hunter Cup. It was the second time Swayzee had led and beaten Leap To Fame.
“He’s going to have to earn it now, that’s for sure,” Leap To Fame’s trainer-driver Grant Dixon said.
“The draw isn’t perfect, but we’ve had more difficult ones. The way I see it, there’s as many positives and negatives.
“I rate Kingman the hardest to beat and the back row isn’t good for him, so that’s a help, but then you’ve got Swayzee and Republican Party (gate one) drawn inside us.
“Republican Party is the biggest winner from the draw. As we know, especially at Melton, the fence is gold in these races and he’ll be on the fence, either behind the leader or three pegs.
“We’re going to have to be right at the top of our game, but all the signs are he is.”
Republican Party finished a close and luckless third to Swayzee and Leap To Fame in last year’s Hunter Cup and his record in NZ shows he is a better horse now.
Early markets have Leap To Fame $2.40 favourite from Swayzee ($3.60), Republican Party ($4.20) and Kingman ($4.40).
Leap To Fame is lining up for his fifth start in as many weeks, but Dixon said it suited him.
“That’s where he’s different to most horses, he just thrives on it and bounces out of a big race looking for the next one,” he said.
“This is the third time he’s had an extended stint down in Melbourne and it’s by far the happiest we’ve been with him.
“He seems as good as this as he has all trip. He’s really bright, holding his weight and eating up.
“We’ve just got four more days to keep him this well.”
Leap To Fame’s three latest wins in the Ballarat, Cranbourne and Kilmore Cups make him the only horse eligible for HRV’s new $1 million Summer Carnival bonus if he wins the Hunter Cup.
Victory will also give him a share of the record for Group 1 wins by Australasian pacer on 16 with former greats Westburn Grant and Lazarus.
While most expect Swayzee to take advantage of gate two and find the lead, much focus will be on what Emma Stewart’s trio Oliver Dan (gate three), Miki To Success (four) and War Dan Buddy (five) – all fast beginners – do at the start.
If one or more of them crossed Swayzee early, it could aid Leap To Fame’s cause.
Superstar trotting mare Keayang Zahara’s quest for a 13th Group 1 win in the Saturday night’s Great Southern Star has been aided by a good draw (gate five) in the first heat of the unique race.
Unlike any other Australian racing, the Great Southern Star consists of two heats early on Saturday night with the final about two hours later.
