Leaderboard to tackle 2025 Brierly Steeplechase at Warrnambool May Carnival
US-bred jumper Leaderboard will get his chance to shake off the 'bridesmaid' tag when he tackles Tuesday's $150,000 Brierly Steeplechase at Warrnambool.
Leaderboard has thrived since tackling the Australian jumps scene soon after arriving from New Zealand in early 2024.
The Mark Walker -trained gelding won a maiden hurdle at his second jumps outing at last year's Warrnambool May Carnival before scoring in a Benchmark 120 steeple last June.
Leaderboard took on the best jumpers in training in the Australian and Grand National Hurdles as well as the Grand National Steeplechase last winter, running minor placings in all three features.
However, Leaderboard has returned in terrific form over steeples this season, winning at Ballarat and Pakenham to start his 2025 jumps campaign.
The form has left Leaderboard as the $3.40 favourite in early Brierly Steeplechase betting.
'We were the bridesmaid in a couple of big ones but hopefully he's a bit better in the big ones this year,' Leaderboard's trainer Mark Walker said.
'He couldn't be in better form so there's no reason he won't run well at Warrnambool.'
Leaderboard's class will prevail, winning the J.E.H Spencer Memorial Steeplechase as he likes ðŸ'« pic.twitter.com/g1JRrLZjtV
— Racing.com (@Racing) April 13, 2025
• Brad Waters' horses to follow and forgive from The Valley on Saturday
Leaderboard had enough quality on the flat to win the Group 3 Wellington Cup (3200m) in New Zealand in 2023.
Walker said the 10-year-old had improved his jumping with the benefit of last season's experience behind him.
'He won a Wellington Cup as an older horse and it was only his first actual jumps season last year,' Walker said.
'He's pretty adaptable and we can slot him in anywhere but in jumps racing, you've always got to hope for the best as well.
'Bad luck can come into it but he's a safe jumper.'
Walker said the son of Street Cry would back up in Thursday's Grand Annual Steeplechase over the marathon 5500m.
Leaderboard has not raced beyond the 4500m of the Grand Annual Steeplechase at Ballarat but said the gelding's confidence on the Warrnambool track would help him.
'He'll definitely back up in both races,' Walker said.
'He won a maiden hurdle there last year so he knows the track.
'The Grand Annual distance, who knows until you try it?'
Leaderboard is on the board this jumps season, leading them a merry dance over the 3250m at Ballarat 🎯 pic.twitter.com/rd64llJZWE
— Racing.com (@Racing) April 6, 2025
• Better than Black Caviar? Shane Dye's massive call on The Everest favourite Ka Ying Rising
Will Gordon will ride Leaderboard in the Brierly Steeplechase while the Englishman will also ride another of Walker's runners on Tuesday when Dreamflight makes his jumps debut.
Walker has only trained Dreamflight for three starts but said the son of Frankel's owners bought the gelding mainly to target the Warrnambool Carnival.
'He just still lacks a bit of experience but he's got a good jockey on him,' Walker said.
'I think he will pay his way over the jumps.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
If you've never heard of Sienna Toohey, now is the time to take note
Toohey is faster at the same age. Yes, times have changed, but there is something special about this youngster. Australian swimming was buzzing with excitement on night two of the national trials when Toohey won her race in a personal best time of 1:06.55, just clear of Ella Ramsay (1:06.86). The time would have won a gold medal at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. By the time Toohey was being interviewed poolside, she was almost inconsolable. 'I'm just so excited because I worked so hard,' Toohey said as tears rolled down her cheeks. 'I was so nervous and so happy I have done it. 'It's been very hard living in Canberra for the last six weeks.' Toohey waved to family in the stands before greeting reporters. She'd spoken to some a year earlier when, as a 15-year-old, she'd narrowly missed making a maiden Olympics team. 'It was definitely something that I really wanted to be a part of,' Toohey said. 'It was definitely [tears of] relief.' How did she get into swimming? When did the dream really kick in? 'I started swimming because I wanted to play water polo, but my parents told me that I couldn't do water polo if I didn't swim,' Toohey said. 'I started swimming just to do it and then my brother started to get really good at it. I got to the point where I had to choose swimming or water polo. Obviously, I chose swimming. It was the right choice.' Next month, the shy schoolgirl will travel to Singapore and represent her country at the world championships. Not a bad story to take back to school. 'They're very curious about swimming but they don't really understand most parts of it. They know that I'm good though,' Toohey said. 'I've told them my goals and they're very supportive. I'm sure I'll go back and I'll have numerous messages from them all.' Astute swimming judges have been whispering Toohey's name for some time. Last year, she broke Jones' 15-year-old age record that had stood since 2000. Earlier this year, Toohey lowered Jones' national record among 16-year-old breaststrokers in the two-lap event. Jones' best time as a 16-year-old was 1:07.31. Toohey is nearly a second quicker at the same age, but is now gunning for Jones' overall Australian record of 1:05.09. Toohey, who is now the eighth-fastest Australian in the event, was lucky enough to meet her hero during last year's Olympic trials. 'After nationals [this year] she sent me a message the night after I broke her record,' Toohey said. 'It honestly made my week. Getting something personalised from her … and her telling me to keep going and that things can happen when you're young, was definitely inspiring. 'I watched some of her races when I was first chasing down her records.' When the Brisbane Olympics arrive, Toohey is likely to be in the prime of her career, still at a tender age of 23. Toohey admits she has thought about the prospect of competing at a home Olympics. She is living proof that the Olympic dream burns bright in the nation's young athletes. 'When the Brisbane Olympics first got announced, that was the Olympic team I was hoping to get on. Now I've made this [world championship] one, we'll have to push the timeline up a bit more,' Toohey said. 'It'd definitely mean a lot being in my home country, plus some family members could come. Loading 'I just want to reach the top and hopefully get a medal at the Olympics one day.' Once Toohey had finished her interviews, she was greeted by some of her teenage friends. 'I now know someone who's going to be famous,' one was overheard saying.

Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
If you've never heard of Sienna Toohey, now is the time to take note
Toohey is faster at the same age. Yes, times have changed, but there is something special about this youngster. Australian swimming was buzzing with excitement on night two of the national trials when Toohey won her race in a personal best time of 1:06.55, just clear of Ella Ramsay (1:06.86). The time would have won a gold medal at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. By the time Toohey was being interviewed poolside, she was almost inconsolable. 'I'm just so excited because I worked so hard,' Toohey said as tears rolled down her cheeks. 'I was so nervous and so happy I have done it. 'It's been very hard living in Canberra for the last six weeks.' Toohey waved to family in the stands before greeting reporters. She'd spoken to some a year earlier when, as a 15-year-old, she'd narrowly missed making a maiden Olympics team. 'It was definitely something that I really wanted to be a part of,' Toohey said. 'It was definitely [tears of] relief.' How did she get into swimming? When did the dream really kick in? 'I started swimming because I wanted to play water polo, but my parents told me that I couldn't do water polo if I didn't swim,' Toohey said. 'I started swimming just to do it and then my brother started to get really good at it. I got to the point where I had to choose swimming or water polo. Obviously, I chose swimming. It was the right choice.' Next month, the shy schoolgirl will travel to Singapore and represent her country at the world championships. Not a bad story to take back to school. 'They're very curious about swimming but they don't really understand most parts of it. They know that I'm good though,' Toohey said. 'I've told them my goals and they're very supportive. I'm sure I'll go back and I'll have numerous messages from them all.' Astute swimming judges have been whispering Toohey's name for some time. Last year, she broke Jones' 15-year-old age record that had stood since 2000. Earlier this year, Toohey lowered Jones' national record among 16-year-old breaststrokers in the two-lap event. Jones' best time as a 16-year-old was 1:07.31. Toohey is nearly a second quicker at the same age, but is now gunning for Jones' overall Australian record of 1:05.09. Toohey, who is now the eighth-fastest Australian in the event, was lucky enough to meet her hero during last year's Olympic trials. 'After nationals [this year] she sent me a message the night after I broke her record,' Toohey said. 'It honestly made my week. Getting something personalised from her … and her telling me to keep going and that things can happen when you're young, was definitely inspiring. 'I watched some of her races when I was first chasing down her records.' When the Brisbane Olympics arrive, Toohey is likely to be in the prime of her career, still at a tender age of 23. Toohey admits she has thought about the prospect of competing at a home Olympics. She is living proof that the Olympic dream burns bright in the nation's young athletes. 'When the Brisbane Olympics first got announced, that was the Olympic team I was hoping to get on. Now I've made this [world championship] one, we'll have to push the timeline up a bit more,' Toohey said. 'It'd definitely mean a lot being in my home country, plus some family members could come. Loading 'I just want to reach the top and hopefully get a medal at the Olympics one day.' Once Toohey had finished her interviews, she was greeted by some of her teenage friends. 'I now know someone who's going to be famous,' one was overheard saying.

Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Konstas kept out of Test side as Labuschagne opens
London: Marnus Labuschagne has kept Sam Konstas out of the Australian team for the World Test Championship final at Lord's. Captain Pat Cummins confirmed the team at 1pm local time in London, with Cameron Green coming back at number three in the order and Josh Hazlewood beating Scott Boland for the third pace bowling spot. As the world's best team over the past four years, Australia are more or less a well-known quantity entering the World Test Championship final at Lord's. Aside from some doubts about Labuschagne's place in their future, Cummins' team is extremely settled, with vast experience and plenty of confidence in themselves. Lately, Cummins, his deputy Steve Smith and others have hinted they may well keep playing for longer than once thought, an indicator of how much they are enjoying the game at present. There are few surprises about the setup, just a lot of quality and durability in the face of advancing years. They do not look like a fading force. The biggest question this week, then, is about South Africa. Are they up to challenging Australia in a one-off game to decide the title, or might they find themselves revisiting the hated 'chokers' tag that has followed the Proteas around at showpiece finals for most of the past three decades? Tellingly, South Africa's coach, the plain-speaking Shukri Conrad, has not been shy about forcing his players to confront that tag. In December, when the Proteas looked like they might cough up a winning position against Pakistan on home soil when qualification for the final was up for grabs, he challenged the team not to choke. The result was a narrow victory, and Conrad revisited that territory this week.