Latest news with #LeapToFame
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Defending Inter Dominion winner Don Hugo takes first step towards his title defence with a return at Menangle
Luke McCarthy is a realist. The champion NSW horseman will take his stable star Don Hugo to Brisbane to defend his Inter Dominion crown and knows the bar has been raised. That's because, unlike in last year's Menangle Inter Dominion final, Don Hugo will have one of the greatest pacers this part of the world has seen in Leap To Fame to contend with. There's another factor niggling away at McCarthy, too. 'This year's (Inter Dominion) final is over 3157m and that plays to Leap To Fame's greatest strength, his stamina,' McCarthy said. 'Over the sprint distances, Don Hugo can be too sharp for him, but the longer the races, the harder he is to beat. 'We're talking about an out-and-out champion, one of the best pacers I've seen in Leap To Fame. 'We've beaten him before and I've got huge faith in my horse, but I'm also aware of the enormity of the challenge ahead in a series run in his backyard and a final over that sort of distance.' Don Hugo, who returns from a spell in a 2300m race at Menangle tonight, has clashed with Leap To Fame just three times and trails him 1-2. McCarthy's star ran fifth in February's Hunter Cup when Leap To Fame was second, then turned the tables when he led throughout to win the Miracle Mile at Menangle on March 8 where Leap To Fame was a brave second. Don Hugo WINS the G1 Inter Dominion Pacers Final & smashes the track record in the process! ðŸ�† â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 14, 2024 • Ka Ying Rising locked in for The Everest as slot details confirmed Leap To Fame then produced arguably his greatest performance yet when he sat outside and crushed Don Hugo at their latest meeting in the $NZ1 million Race by Betcha in Cambridge, NZ on April 4. But McCarthy said Don Hugo performed below his best and was found to have a virus after the race. 'Leap To Fame was just too good, but Don Hugo is much better than he showed that night,' he said. 'He's thrived during the break, had a trial and private workout at Menangle, and he's raring to go this week. 'I plan to back him up the following week and then take him straight into the opening round of (Inter Dominion) heats on July 5.' Leap To Fame, who resumed from a break with a narrow but impressive Albion Park win last Saturday, will change tact when he backs up tomorrow (Saturday) night. Trainer-driver Grant Dixon has opted to run him from a 30m handicap over 2138m. It will be just his second standing-start race in 65 starts. He won the other at Albion Park back on June 8, last year.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Champion pacer Leap To Fame to switch to standing-start racing at Albion Park on Saturday night
Champion pacer Leap To Fame will take a surprise step right outside his comfort zone at Albion Park on Saturday night. For just the second time in more than four years and 65 race starts, Leap To Fame will switch from mobile start to standing-start racing. His only other standing-start race was on June 8 last year when Leap To Fame came off a 20m handicap to emphatically win the Flashing Red Discretionary at Albion Park over 2647m. The six-year-old's task will be even harder this week off the maximum 30m handicap and the race being over the shorter 2138m trip. Despite Leap To Fame winning first-up from a break at Albion Park last Saturday night, his trainer-driver Grant Dixon was moved to back him up quickly. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'It was a bit hard to assess things on such a wet track, but I felt he should have won a bit easier,' he said. 'Trista I felt he could do with another two races before the Inter Dominion starts and that meant we really had to back him up this week. 'There was also the option of a mobile sprint race, but there are a few reasons we opted for the stand. 'He will get more conditioning from a race like this stand, especially over 2138m. Big surprise in the fields for this Saturday night- Jun 7 Leap To Fame will start in Race 6- a standing start handicap over 2138m. From 30m ðŸ'€ ðŸ'€ — The Creek (@TheCreekAlbion) June 2, 2025 'And we are thinking about taking him to the NZ Cup later in the year, which is a standing start and this could be one of the last suitable opportunities we get to show him the (standing start) tapes and see how he handles it. 'The Flashing Red and Redcliffe Cups are coming, but he'll get 30m in both of those. The Flashing Red will be a lot stronger than this week's race and Redcliffe isn't really a suitable race for him.' In Awe. LEAP TO FAME with one of his best ever tonight in The Race by @betcha_nz. He eyeballed his most recent foe, Don Hugo then put him, and the rest, to the sword to once again prove who's boss in the pacing world ðŸ'° — RaceQ (@RaceQLD) April 4, 2025 Dixon said racing again this week meant Leap To Fame could return to mobile start racing for his final lead-up race on June 21. 'Then he'll have had the three weeks and get a two-week gap before the first round of (Inter Dominion) heats (July 5),' Dixon said. Dixon felt Leap To Fame, who won narrowly but impressively first-up at Albion Park last Saturday night, needed more racing before the Inter Dominion starts on July 5. Leap To Fame makes it career win 51 and 34 at The Creek to take out The Somerset Farms Avonnova Open defeating Wisper A Secret — The Creek (@TheCreekAlbion) May 31, 2025 'I thought he should've won a bit easier and that he'd need two more runs, not just one, before the heats. 'That really meant we had to back-up this week and it made more sense on a few levels to go to this (standing start) race rather than a 1660m mobile. This will be a better conditioning run. 'It means he can run this week, have two weeks to his third run back and then another two weeks before the first round of heats.' THE CHAMP GOES BACK-TO-BACK! Another successful raid by the Queenslanders Grant Dixon and Leap To Fame, who secure a second-straight victory in the Decron Cranbourne Gold Cup! — The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) February 8, 2025 Less than an hour after Leap To Fame steps out, his major Brisbane Inter Dominion rival Don Hugo will return from a let-up in the seventh race at Menangle on Saturday night. Don Hugo upset Leap To Fame in the Miracle Mile on March 8, but the latter turned the tables with a powerhouse win when they last met in the $1 million Race by betcha at Cambridge on April 4. They have clashed three times and Leap To Fame leads 2-1. @ClubMenangle — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 8, 2025
Daily Telegraph
27-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
Leap To Fame closes in on Australasian prizemoney record
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. The champ is back. Leap To Fame launches a campaign which could see him become Australasia's all-time richest pacer when he steps out at Albion Park on Saturday night. It will be one at least two lead-up runs before the Ladbrokes Inter Dominion starts at Albion Park on July 5. Leap To Fame, who boasts 50 wins and over $4 million in prize money, hasn't started since one of the best wins in his career in the $NZ1 million Race by betcha at Cambridge on April 4. The six-year-old worked so well last Saturday, co-trainers Grant and Trista Dixon opted to take him straight back to the races without a trial. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'Gee he worked well,' Grant Dixon said. 'The trials up here are only over a mile and you end up running terrific time in them, so we felt we might as well just take him straight to the races. 'We're really happy with him. By racing this week, it also gives us a bit of time in case another race or two don't stand-up between now and the Inter Dominion.' Dixon was thrilled with how well Leap To Fame handled his first trip to NZ for the big Cambridge win. 'He thrived and came home in great order. It didn't take much at all out of him and he obviously raced so well over there,' he said. 'He's carrying a bit of weight we'll need to get off him before the Inter Dominion, but we've got time on our side.' Leap To Fame has won his past 16 starts at Albion Park with the last defeat way back on November 4, 2023. He started from an awkward inside draw that night and never saw daylight before finishing fourth. Dixon pointed to a similarly awkward draw as the biggest challenge this week. 'You wouldn't believe he's drawn inside the back row again. I've never seen a horse get these awkward draws more than him,' he said. 'It makes it tricky. There's a few nice horses in this race and you can't afford to snag back at the start or you'll be giving away a huge start when they're running super times up front. We're going to need some luck.' Leap To Fame, who won the 2023 Inter Dominion and missed last year's series with a health issue, is a $1.50 prepost favourite for this year's $1 million final on July 19. Dixon will also have recent stable addition Captain Hammerhead, who beat the great stayer Swayzee in the Albury Cup earlier this year, step-out at Albion Park on Saturday night. 'His trial for us was OK, but we're still getting to know him,' he said. 'We'll know a lot more after this race and we've gone to the standing-start race because we're looking at races like the Flashing Red and Redcliffe Cup with him,' he said. Captain Hammerhead won 14 races and more than $350,000 for Victorian trainer David Moran before switching to Team Dixon a few weeks back. Team Dixon also has two of the major players – Fire And Passion (gate two) and Fight For Glory (11) – in Saturday night's $50,000 Group 2 Qbred 2YO final, which shapes a key pointer to the $500,000 Protostar. 'They're both nice horses – given the draws Fire And Passion is our best hope, but Barsby has the pole and will be hard to beat,' Grant said. • Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp. Originally published as Leap To Fame has prizemoney record in his sights as he launches new campaign at Albion Park
Courier-Mail
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Leap To Fame closes in on Australasian prizemoney record
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. The champ is back. Leap To Fame launches a campaign which could see him become Australasia's all-time richest pacer when he steps out at Albion Park on Saturday night. It will be one at least two lead-up runs before the Ladbrokes Inter Dominion starts at Albion Park on July 5. Leap To Fame, who boasts 50 wins and over $4 million in prize money, hasn't started since one of the best wins in his career in the $NZ1 million Race by betcha at Cambridge on April 4. The six-year-old worked so well last Saturday, co-trainers Grant and Trista Dixon opted to take him straight back to the races without a trial. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'Gee he worked well,' Grant Dixon said. 'The trials up here are only over a mile and you end up running terrific time in them, so we felt we might as well just take him straight to the races. 'We're really happy with him. By racing this week, it also gives us a bit of time in case another race or two don't stand-up between now and the Inter Dominion.' Dixon was thrilled with how well Leap To Fame handled his first trip to NZ for the big Cambridge win. 'He thrived and came home in great order. It didn't take much at all out of him and he obviously raced so well over there,' he said. 'He's carrying a bit of weight we'll need to get off him before the Inter Dominion, but we've got time on our side.' Leap To Fame has won his past 16 starts at Albion Park with the last defeat way back on November 4, 2023. He started from an awkward inside draw that night and never saw daylight before finishing fourth. Dixon pointed to a similarly awkward draw as the biggest challenge this week. 'You wouldn't believe he's drawn inside the back row again. I've never seen a horse get these awkward draws more than him,' he said. 'It makes it tricky. There's a few nice horses in this race and you can't afford to snag back at the start or you'll be giving away a huge start when they're running super times up front. We're going to need some luck.' Leap To Fame, who won the 2023 Inter Dominion and missed last year's series with a health issue, is a $1.50 prepost favourite for this year's $1 million final on July 19. Dixon will also have recent stable addition Captain Hammerhead, who beat the great stayer Swayzee in the Albury Cup earlier this year, step-out at Albion Park on Saturday night. 'His trial for us was OK, but we're still getting to know him,' he said. 'We'll know a lot more after this race and we've gone to the standing-start race because we're looking at races like the Flashing Red and Redcliffe Cup with him,' he said. Captain Hammerhead won 14 races and more than $350,000 for Victorian trainer David Moran before switching to Team Dixon a few weeks back. Team Dixon also has two of the major players – Fire And Passion (gate two) and Fight For Glory (11) – in Saturday night's $50,000 Group 2 Qbred 2YO final, which shapes a key pointer to the $500,000 Protostar. 'They're both nice horses – given the draws Fire And Passion is our best hope, but Barsby has the pole and will be hard to beat,' Grant said. • Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp. Originally published as Leap To Fame has prizemoney record in his sights as he launches new campaign at Albion Park
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Leap To Fame has prizemoney record in his sights as he launches new campaign at Albion Park
The champ is back. Leap To Fame launches a campaign which could see him become Australasia's all-time richest pacer when he steps out at Albion Park on Saturday night. It will be one at least two lead-up runs before the Ladbrokes Inter Dominion starts at Albion Park on July 5. Leap To Fame, who boasts 50 wins and over $4 million in prize money, hasn't started since one of the best wins in his career in the $NZ1 million Race by betcha at Cambridge on April 4. The six-year-old worked so well last Saturday, co-trainers Grant and Trista Dixon opted to take him straight back to the races without a trial. 'Gee he worked well,' Grant Dixon said. 'The trials up here are only over a mile and you end up running terrific time in them, so we felt we might as well just take him straight to the races. 'We're really happy with him. By racing this week, it also gives us a bit of time in case another race or two don't stand-up between now and the Inter Dominion.' Dixon was thrilled with how well Leap To Fame handled his first trip to NZ for the big Cambridge win. 'He thrived and came home in great order. It didn't take much at all out of him and he obviously raced so well over there,' he said. 'He's carrying a bit of weight we'll need to get off him before the Inter Dominion, but we've got time on our side.' Leap To Fame, you are INSANE ðŸ'¥ Leap To Fame breaks the track record at Cambridge on the Night of Champions Grant Dixon trained and driven to victory in the $1m The Race by Betcha for slot holders Solid Earth Pty Ltd (Kevin & Kay Seymour) Replay: #FNL — Trackside NZ (@TracksideNZ) April 4, 2025 Leap To Fame has won his past 16 starts at Albion Park with the last defeat way back on November 4, 2023. He started from an awkward inside draw that night and never saw daylight before finishing fourth. Dixon pointed to a similarly awkward draw as the biggest challenge this week. 'You wouldn't believe he's drawn inside the back row again. I've never seen a horse get these awkward draws more than him,' he said. 'It makes it tricky. There's a few nice horses in this race and you can't afford to snag back at the start or you'll be giving away a huge start when they're running super times up front. We're going to need some luck.' Leap To Fame, who won the 2023 Inter Dominion and missed last year's series with a health issue, is a $1.50 prepost favourite for this year's $1 million final on July 19. He’s back … champion pacer Leap To Fame resumes @TheCreekAlbion Saturday night. First lead up run before the @ladbrokescomau Inter Dominion starting July 5. Not raced his epic @cambridgeracewy win April 4. — Adam Hamilton (@AdamHSport) May 26, 2025 Dixon will also have recent stable addition Captain Hammerhead, who beat the great stayer Swayzee in the Albury Cup earlier this year, step-out at Albion Park on Saturday night. 'His trial for us was OK, but we're still getting to know him,' he said. 'We'll know a lot more after this race and we've gone to the standing-start race because we're looking at races like the Flashing Red and Redcliffe Cup with him,' he said. Captain Hammerhead won 14 races and more than $350,000 for Victorian trainer David Moran before switching to Team Dixon a few weeks back. Team Dixon also has two of the major players – Fire And Passion (gate two) and Fight For Glory (11) – in Saturday night's $50,000 Group 2 Qbred 2YO final, which shapes a key pointer to the $500,000 Protostar. 'They're both nice horses – given the draws Fire And Passion is our best hope, but Barsby has the pole and will be hard to beat,' Grant said.
