11 March 2024 | NATIONAL TROTGUIDE | PAUL COURTS
WITHOUT ‘going the early crow’ and declaring him one of the all-time greats, Leap To Fame has joined a pair of immortals as the only pacers to win Australia’s ‘Big Three’.
Though he has reached phenomenal heights in his short career, it is still a fraction too soon to list Leap To Fame alongside the likes of Caduceus, Cardigan Bay, Popular Alm, Our Sir Vancelot and Blacks A Fake to name a handful of the industry’s champions.
Thanks to his historic Miracle Mile success at Club Menangle last night, however, Leap To Fame has become just the third pacer to win the A G Hunter Cup, Inter Dominion and Miracle Mile since the latter was added to the racing calendar in 1967.
Leap To Fame began his quest by capturing the Inter Dominion at his home track – Albion Park – on December 16 before winning the Hunter Cup in Melton on February 3.
Just as Leap To Fame managed, Preux Chevalier and Village Kid completed the trio within one campaign stretched across a few months.
Beginning with the Miracle Mile at Harold Park on January 18, 1985, Preux Chevalier – affectionately-known as The Frog – was then taken south to secure the Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley on February 9 before capturing the Inter Dominion at the same venue on March 9.
Like Leap To Fame, Village Kid’s Inter Dominion glory came at Albion Park, but the series was the third leg of his hat-trick.
Annexing the Miracle Mile at Harold Park on January 24, 1986, Village Kid then won the Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley on March 8, followed by his Inter Dominion Final triumph on April 19.
As for Leap To Fame, he overcame a horror draw and tough run to create history in the $1million Garrards-sponsored sprint.
Beginning from barrier seven with trainer Grant Dixon in the cart, the son of Bettors Delight travelled outside the leader, Speak The Truth, before bullocking his way to a two-and-a-half metre victory from Sooner The Better.
Speak The Truth battled on bravely to be three metres away third.
Stopping the clock in 1:48.3, Leap To Fame became the first to win the Miracle Mile from wider than barrier six!
Owned by Kevin and Kaye Seymour, the five-year-old stretched his record to an impeccable 35 wins and eight placings from 45 starts for earnings of $2,765,957.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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