This will be a New Zealand Cup Week like no other for Australia.
Sure we’ve won the great race before, including the past two years with Swayzee, and we’ve won a few of the key support features, but the sheer volume and depth of talent competing across the two huge days at Addington is astounding.
Depending on the next few days, there could be 11 Aussie horses competing on NZ Cup Day (November 11) and/or Show Day (November 14).
We’ve never seen anything like it.
It’s fantastic Leap To Fame will lead the raiders after his impressive, easy and important win at Melton last Saturday night.
It wasn’t who he beat or the time he went, it was what trainer-driver Grant Dixon thought of the run.
“I couldn’t be happier” was music to the ears of Australian and NZ harness fans.
As exciting and impressive as Leap To Fame’s Race by betcha win was at his only previous NZ raid, the NZ Cup, with all its history and prestige, would possibly top his other major wins in races like the Inter Dominion (twice), Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile.
Don’t be fooled by Swayzee winning the past two NZ Cups for Australia, history says how hard it is to win from our side of the ditch.
Swayzee is one of just four Aussie-trained pacers to do so. The first was Steel Jaw in 1983 and then My Lightning Blue did so in 1987.
Arden Rooney, with Kerryn Manning becoming the first female to drive an NZ Cup winner, broke a 28-year drought with his all-the-way win in 2015.
It was then another nine years, and a series of minor placings, before Swayzee won in 2023 and repeated the dose last year.
Providing he runs well at Menangle this Saturday night, Swayzee will return to a record-equaling third successive Cup win. Only Terror To Love (2011-13), False Step (1958-60) and Indianapolis (1934-36) have done so.
Australia could have the first three favourites if emerging star Kingman, who has beaten Leap To Fame and Swayzee at his past two starts, also heads across.
His trip will hinge on successful handling his first attempt at a standing-start in a Menangle trial on Wednesday.
There is nothing to fear in the Kiwi open class ranks. Republican Party is a lovely horse and peaking at the right. He looks the best of them.
But his chances of beating all three of the Aussies are slim.
Four Australians will tackle the trotting equivalent of the NZ Cup, the $NZ400,000 Dominion Trot, on Cup Day.
Recent events now see brilliant young mare Jilliby Ballerini as out top seed from Arcee Phoenix, Gus and Parisian Artiste.
Depending on how they run Cup Day, some of those pacers and trotters could back in the NZ Pacing and Trotting free-for-alls three days later.
Victoria Cup runner-up Hi Manameisjeff will accompany stablemate Swayzee across. His target will be the Group 1 NZ Free-For-All over a suitable 2000m on the Friday.
With his dazzling gate speed, he should lead from any front row draw (if he gets one) and be hard to beat.
Also on the Friday, top young Victorian pair Tracy The Jet and Gatesys Gem will fly the Aussie flag in the $NZ500,000 The Ascent. It’s a race our stunning young mare Keayang Zahara won in second gear last year.
Three-time Group 1 winner Fate Awaits, a stablemate of Leap To Fame, will be our lone flag bearer in the $NZ500,000 The Velocity on the same day.
What a week it will be.
