Prepost betting is fun.

In many ways, it’s more of a tactical battle and bigger gamble than a regular bet, but if you shop well the odds are rewarding.

So, when the markets came out of the Victoria Cup this week, a few of my mates who like a long-term play and a multi or two, hit up for my early thoughts.

The answer was simple – stay out of this one, at least for now.

In a Grand Circuit racing world where Leap To Fame is Elvis, you cannot bet on this Victoria Cup until his plans are crystal clear.

He’s as short as $1.50 in some markets and, at this stage, the dual Inter Dominion winner and one of the greatest pacers we’ve ever seen won’t be at Melton for the race on October 18.

But I want to emphasise the “at this stage” part.

The strong leaning of connections is towards a trip across the ditch for the NZ Cup on November 11.

Yes, it’s true you can run in both, but in Leap To Fame’s case, the one thing his owner is adamant about is that his champion pacer will NOT run in both.

So, let’s wait.

Seymour says he will chat with trainers Grant and Trista Dixon this week to “build out a plan.”

That’s something we have to wait for.

But the intrigue around this Victoria Cup runs so much deeper than Leap To Fame.

Let’s move on to defending champion Swayzee, who actually beat Leap To Fame when they last clashed at Melton in the Hunter Cup in February.

He too is being set for the NZ Cup and that’s a no-brainer given he’s won the past two.

But, as he did last year, trainer Jason Grimson wants to win another Victoria Cup on the way through.

Owner Mick Boots, who reportedly races almost 300 horses now, said the same.

But Boots hinted at a deeper insight in why Swayzee has been out spelling recently.

“The plan is the Victoria and NZ Cups, but if he doesn’t come well, we’ll retire him … he doesn’t owe us anything,” he said.

Let’s hope he comes back firing. The game needs him. We need a horse who can and does take it to Leap To Fame. He’s beaten him twice in six clashes.

Back to the Victoria Cup though and it seems very likely Swayzee will be there, but not a lock.

What about Don Hugo?

He’s still third seed despite not quite being himself by the end of the Brisbane Inter Dominion.

Luke McCarthy is leaning towards giving him a decent spell, so he is unlikely at this stage.

“Ask me later this week, then we’ll have made a final decision” he said.

Then you go wider to Shannon Price’s Queensland stablemates Speak The Truth, who ran second to Leap To Fame in the Inter Dominion final, and Sure Thing Captain, who won two heats of the series and ran well in the final from an awful draw.

“The Victoria Cup is on the radar. Both of mine will go to the Len Smith Mile (September 6 at Menangle), then one will probably go to the Victoria Cup and the other will return home to get ready for the Blacks A Fake here (Brisbane) in December” Price said.

Which is more likely for Victoria?

“No idea, they both travel well and would be suited in the race. I’ve got no idea at this stage,” Price said.

Back to where I started. Prepost betting is a fun and sometimes rewarding challenge, but you’ll need to be Nostradamus and/or have lots of luck on your side to nail this early Victoria Cup market.