The dial has shifted, albeit just slightly.

As we rolled into 2025, most felt it would be another year of Leap To Fame dominance in our biggest races.

Other than the hiccup he had last year, Leap To Fame had been a level above his rivals, as evidenced by his remarkable romp with wins in the Inter Dominion final, Hunter Cup, Miracle Mile and Blacks A Fake in an eight month period.

He missed the Victoria Cup, NZ Cup and a chance to defend his Inter Dominion title with that setback through October, November and December, last year.

Then, when most expected him to pick up where he left off, Leap To Fame was beaten in the Hunter Cup on February 1.

Sure, he was clearly the best run of the race and did all the work, but for a rare time in a career in a race that really matters, Leap To Fame was beaten.

Swayzee led and held him off, taking their scoreline back to just 3-2 in Leap To Fame’s favour.

Just as significantly, in contrast to many of Leap To Fame’s wins when he had stretched the field out, the Hunter Cup was a bunched finish – just 7.2m from first to eight placegetter, Max Delight.

Leap To Fame did immediately bounce back to win last Saturday week’s Cranbourne Cup, but classy Kiwi pacer Dont Stop Dreaming, who ran seventh in the Hunter Cup, did the work outside Leap To Fame and made a real race of it.

The champ won, but the challenger gave him a bit of fright.

At the very least, it appears Leap To Fame is going to find 2025 a lot harder than his romps through much of last year.

He heads to Newcastle on Friday night to try and do what he did last year, win the Newcastle Mile and get a golden ticket into the Miracle Mile 15 days later.

It will be a big shock if he doesn’t do that.

But waiting for him at Menangle, and now genuinely excited to try and get a crack at him, is a stellar bunch of challengers.

And many of them will be on full display, trying to earn their own way into the elite eight-horse Miracle Mile, through two qualifying sprints at Menangle on Saturday week.

In a surprise twist, Swayzee, who is better known as a stayer than sprinter, could now tackle one of those sprints.

Four of NZ’s best pacers – Merlin, Dont Stop Dreaming, Tact McLeod and Sooner The Bettor – will also be there.

Then there is the 2023 Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave, who showed signs of his best with a sparkling Terang win last Friday, along with Inter Dominion winner Don Hugo, excitement machine Captain Ravishing, classy pair Captains Knock and Max Delight and glamour mare Aardies Express.

You can also throw Captain Hammerhead into the mix after he smashed the track record by five seconds and upset Swayzee in last Friday’s Albury Cup.

Leap To Fame’s already done enough to enter the conversation with the best we’ve seen.

If he can double down and dominate again this year, against the depth of talent just outlined, he might be the best of all time.