Nothing short of a dominant win will be enough for his trainer-driver Grant Dixon to push ahead with plans to chase the $1 million New Trotting Cup at Addington Raceway on November 11.
It is Leap To Fame’s last chance to impress.
And it comes at a time his dominance is questioned by some.
The 6-year-old, who boasts 57 wins from 72 starts, is trying to avoid a worrying career first this week.
Since Leap To Fame started racing on March 27, 2021. He has never gone three starts without a win.
He heads into this race, his fourth start in as many weeks, on a two-race losing streak.
While Leap To Fame’s shock defeat in the Smoken Up Sprint at Melton on October 11 raised eyebrows, following it up with a fighting but somewhat lacklustre third by his standards in last Saturday’s group 1 Victoria Cup started tongues wagging.
Dixon conceded Australasia’s all-time richest pacer had not quite been himself in those two runs.
It was Dixon who raised serious doubts about pushing ahead with the long-awaited New Zealand trip.
It surprised a lot of people when Leap To Fame appeared in the field for the 2240m free-for-all this week.
But Dixon said Leap To Fame bounced out of last week’s defeat well and a precautionary blood test early in the week came back all clear.
Simply, Dixon cannot find a reason for the champion’s two below-par runs, so he wants to race him again to shape the New Zealand decision.
The best Leap To Fame would easily beat his five rivals this week and that is not being disrespectful to eight-time group 1 winner Catch A Wave or impressive veteran Bulletproof Boy, who upstaged him two starts back.
Owner Kevin Seymour has a theory he hopes Leap To Fame will quash this week.
"It’s looking like there’s some sort of hoodoo around him and Melton," he said.
"That’s three races in a row he’s been beaten there. Maybe he just doesn’t go as well there."
Leap To Fame has won just four of nine starts at Melton, but boasts an almost 80% winning strike rate overall.
But it is Melton where he will have to prove to the always conservative Dixon that he should cross the Ditch for one of the best and most gruelling races in the sport on November 11.
If Dixon has any doubts after this race, he will cancel the November 5 flight booking and take Leap To Fame back home to his Tambourine base outside Brisbane to regroup and prepare for the $250,000 group 1 Blacks A Fake in his own backyard at Albion Park on December 6.
It would rob the New Zealand Cup of its ultimate headline act, but there will still be a strong Australian flavour.
Swayzee is expected to have a final lead-up at Menangle tomorrow week and fly to Christchurch, via Auckland, on November 8.
The champion Menangle-based stayer is chasing a record-equalling third consecutive win.
Victoria Cup winner Kingman could also make the trip if he passes a crucial standing-start test in a Menangle trial next Wednesday.
• Superstar mare Keayang Zahara will not be heading to New Zealand for the $400,000 Dominion Trot.
The winner of 17 from 18, the 4-year-old was a dominant winner of the group 1 Bill Collins at Melton in Victoria last Saturday night and was the outright favourite for the Dominion at Addington on New Zealand Trotting Cup day.
But the decision was made by her connections to pull the pin.
The Lee stable has also decided to not head across the Tasman with Keayang Chucky (Dominion) and Keayang Tokyo (New Zealand Cup).
The news is more promising for stablemate Jilliby Ballerini. She was second to Keayang Zahara on Saturday night. She is still in the nominations for the Dominion and at this stage will make the trip.
She is now a $2.50 favourite for the Dominion, with Oscar Bonavena next at $3.50.
The next rankings for both the Dominion and the New Zealand Cup will be released on Tuesday night. — HRNZ
By Adam Hamilton
