Victoria will be the big winner in the wash-up from an epic Brisbane Inter Dominion Grand Final night.

Not only did our own champion Just Believe arrogantly complete another clean sweep of the trotting series, but it’s close to a lock pacing hero Leap To Fame will join Just Believe to propel the February 3 Hunter Cup meeting to the next level.

Now Australia’s biggest trotting race, the Great Southern Star, has been moved to the Hunter Cup card, the two superstars will race with an hour of each other at Melton on February 3.

Although owner Kevin Seymour said he and trainer-driver Grant Dixon would make a final call on the Hunter Cup “over the next week or so,” he gave every indication it’s a goer.

“He’s made for a great staying race like the Hunter Cup,” Seymour said. “He showed (in the Inter Dominion final) how good a stayer he is with a track record over the long distance.

“The horse has and always will come first and Grant and I decide these things together, so let’s see how he comes through this win.”

Dixon, his wife Trista and their kids take a rare eight-day holiday this week and Leap To Fame will get the same time off.

“It’s just what he needs and the timing works. He’s so fit, it’s more a freshen-up than anything else,” Dixon said.

“Then we’ll be clear on where we’re heading and start back with if we’re going to the Hunter Cup.

“He’ll need at least one run before a tough staying race like that.”

The Ballarat Cup is an option, but being two weeks before the Hunter Cup may make it too big a stretch for Dixon to spend so much time in Victoria.

Beyond the Hunter Cup, Leap To Fame will target the Miracle Mile and possibly the Race by Grins at Cambridge in April.

“The Miracle Mile is a definite. It’s the one really big race on the calendar I haven’t won,” Seymour said.

“We did think about the slot race in Perth, but won’t be going there now. Instead, we’re looking serious at the Cambridge race, which could be easier to get to and more suitable for him.”

Cambridge also looms as an attractive option for the Just Believe team, but more on that later.

Just Believe should and will return to a hero’s reception back in Victoria after his historic Brisbane victory.

It’s the first time a trotter has taken a clean sweep of the Inter Dominion series – three heats and final – two years in succession.

And he did with such dominance and arrogance at Albion Park.

Much has been said about Just Believe going to another level since returning from Sweden and he looks to have the Great Southern Star at his mercy.

Hopefully a star Kiwi or two may cross the ditch to take him on and add some spice and there’s already talk of it with Oscar Bonavena.

Around Great Southern Star time (or maybe even before), Jess Tubbs, Greg Sugars and Just Believe’s owners will have to make a call on what 2024 looks like.

Will they go back and have another crack at the great Elitlopp in Sweden?

Or does the advent of the new $NZ650,000 TAB Trot slot race at Cambridge in April change things.

Sugars conceded the Cambridge race made the decision around Sweden an even harder one.

“No doubt. It’s big money he couldn’t possibly do both,” he said. “Ultimately it will be up to them (pointing at Just Believe’s owners) and what they want to do.

“But we don’t have to decide yet. It’ll just great to get back home.”

The emergence of Better Eclipse also adds to the Hunter Cup he’s already been to the Race by Grins at Cambridge, so returning (a better horse) would be logical, especially if he accompanied Just Believe.

While the Inter Dominion certainly isn’t ideally situated in December, it’s certainly sparked some talk about where the stars from it go in coming weeks and months.