By Adam Hamilton
Leap To Fame has run second in the $2.1 million TAB Eureka and won the $1 million Miracle Mile, but a lowly $32,376 race at Albion Park on Saturday night looms as one of the most important of his career.
That’s because the Flashing Red Handicap will be the champion pacer’s first try at standing-start racing and go a long way to deciding if he chases the iconic New Zealand Cup – arguably the world’s most famous standing-start race – in Christchurch on November 12.
As dominant as Leap To Fame was winning first-up from a break at Albion Park last Saturday night, this is a whole different challenge.
Not only does the five-year-old have to handle the standing-start, but he will also be the lone back marker, giving away a 20m handicap.
Trainer-driver Grant Dixon has given the champ two standing-start trials, the latest on May 24 when Leap To Fame stepped slowly but safely and went on to easily win the trial.
“He stepped away OK, not great, but OK,” Dixon said.
“It was only his second try from the stand and his first for a year, so he should be better for it.”
Dixon underlined the importance of Saturday night’s race.
“Yes, it’s big for him. To run in the Redcliffe Cup (June 29), he needs to have stepped away safely in a standing start race before it and this is the race we’ve targeted a long way out for him to do that,” he said.
“It’s important he gets it right this week to go on to Redcliffe because we think the Redcliffe Cup, with a good crowd close to the horses, is as close to the NZ Cup start experience we can give him over here.
“We’d love to go to the NZ Cup, I think it’s pretty much the benchmark for great races in this part of the world, but he’s got to be handling the standing starts well for us to go ahead with the trip.”