Leap To Fame stamps authority in The Rising Sun

By Danny Matthews 

Leap To Fame takes another step to claiming Australia’s best standardbred title in Albion Park romp.

It will be the numbers that will confirm Leap to Fame's status at the top of Australian harness racing's tree, and then possibly that of the world, but the four-year-old's win in the $350,000 The Rising Sun at Albion Park was as impressive as fans of the sport could have hoped for.

After raising claims to those raps at Redcliffe a fortnight earlier, Leap To Fame ($1.30 favourite) overcame the awkward barrier seven draw to make a mid-race move with 1200 metres to run.

From then on, a fourth win at the highest level was in the future stallion's keeping.

Able to strike the front much earlier than he did the outing prior, trainer and driver Grant Dixon was relieved with the outcome.

"It was a good relief and he was strong on the bit at that point so, at that point, I was fairly confident," Dixon said.

"With the sectionals he was running he was going at a fair clip but he did go through the line fairly comfortable and it is quite a relief that he'd done it so well.

"It was amazing how well he went and how well he hit the line. Super proud of him."

Leap To Fame's other feature include the New South Wales and Victoria Derbies. 

Earlier on the card, London To A Brick won the $150,000 feature for three and four-year-old trotters, The Great Square, which was run at Group 1 level over 2138 metres.

Notching a fourth win in succession, trainer and driver James Rattray said he was amazed at the gelding's progression.

"He travelled great the whole way and with a bit of speed around us early I thought if we were close enough we were going to be hard to hold out," Rattray said.

London To A Brick ($7.50) also earned a $25,000 bonus for winning the event as a three-year-old.

The top line racing continues on Saturday night at Albion Park with the running of the Group 1 Sunshine Sprint and the Group 1 The Golden Girl, both over the extended mile.