Latest news with #pacer
News.com.au
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Superstar pacer Leap To Fame streaks to effortless Inter Dominion victory
CHAMPION rival driver Luke McCarthy hailed Leap To Fame the greatest pacer he had seen after the Queensland champion romped his way to a second record-breaking Inter Dominion pacing final win at Albion Park on Saturday night. In front of a packed and one-eyed local crowd, Leap To Fame romped away for his 22nd successive win at his home track and his 56th win from just 69 lifetime starts. The $540,000 first prize also made him the all-time richest pacer in this part of the world with $4,630,884 – surpassing another great Queenslander, Blacks A Fake's $4,575,438 stakes tally. McCarthy, who finished fourth on defending Inter Dominion champion Don Hugo, said: 'He's amazing. He's not just the greatest stayer we've seen, he's the best horse full stop.' Leap To Fame has now contested seven Inter Dominion races, five heats and two finals, and won them all. He started the shortest priced favourite ($1.22) since the Inter Dominion began in 1936 and, after being crossed at the start, worked around to take the lead and was never in danger. 'This time it's more of a relief, the expectation was just so huge,' trainer-driver Grant Dixon said. And he leaps into harness racing immortality as @TheCreekAlbion erupts! ðŸ'¥ Leap To Fame takes control in the Inter Dominion Pacing Grand Final and wins with ease - he's now the all-time richest pacer in the Southern Hemisphere! ðŸ�†ðŸ'¥ @RaceQLD — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 19, 2025 'We had a little scare during the week. He bucked and knocked his leg, which he's never done, but thankfully it wasn't anything serious.' Leap To Fame became just the eighth pacer to win multiple Inter Dominion finals and owners Kevin and Kay Seymour hinted strongly at chasing a third crown, which only three other pacers have done (Blacks A Fake, Im Themightyquinn and Our Sir Vancelot). 'The big studs have been coming hard at us to retire him, but we'll hold off for at least another year,' Kevin Seymour said. 'We've been in the game over 50 years and this is the horse we've dreamt of getting … Kay won't let me retire him, at least not for a while yet. 'It's important everyone understands the huge role Grant and Trista Dixon have played in making this horse.' In typical Seymour fashion, he said the winning trophy would go to Albion Park track photographer, Dan Costello, who is facing a huge battle with cancer. 'Dan's one of nature's gentlemen and is going through a really hard time. I'd love him to have the trophy and Kay and I will donate $100,000 of the prize money towards Dan's medical bills,' he said. Leap To Fame will have a break before aiming at another first, victory in NZ's most iconic race of any code, the NZ Cup at Addington in Christchurch in November. Earlier, star Victorian trotter Arcee Phoenix smashed through the $1 million prize money barrier with an emotion-charged $500,000 Inter Dominion trotting final win. Trainer-driver Chris Svanosio praised his late father-in-law, Dr Alistair McLean, for his guidance with Arcee Phoenix as a talented but raw youngster. 'Without him, this horse may well not have raced at all and now he's here as a six-year-old winning the Inter Dominion,' Svanosio said. 'There's lots of feelings at the moments, emotional, excitement and just relief after such a big build-up … we did it.' Arcee Phoenix became just the fifth Aussie-trained trotter to bank over a million with first prize taking him to $1,016,280.
News.com.au
03-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘It's a challenge every time': Trainer-driver Grant Dixon says sticky draw will test Leap To Fame in 2025 Inter Dominion heat
Champion pacer Leap To Fame could be more vulnerable in his first round Brisbane Inter Dominion heat tomorrow night (Saturday) than the $1 million final two weeks later. Trainer-driver Grant Dixon concedes the worst possible barrier draw (gate eight, inside the back row) makes his champion pacer Leap To Fame genuinely vulnerable in the opening round of heats. 'The fact is, from a draw like that, you're always going to need luck,' he said. 'I'd love that draw with every other horse we've got in the series, just not Leap To Fame. 'It's uncanny how often he's drawn there or one – the two draws which don't suit him – and it's a challenge every time.' In contrast to many other times when Dixon has pushed through and found his way off the inside and away from being pocketed, he hinted at taking less risk this time. 'I think I've just got to take my medicine and back out at the start. It could get really tight on the inside,' he said. Leap To Fame is unbeaten at the Inter Dominion. He went through 2023 Brisbane series – three heats and final – unbeaten and is $2.50 to take a clean sweep again this year. But those snapping-up the odds could have a harder ride than expected in round one, despite Leap To Fame being $1.12 favourite. 'Whether it's pushing through and driving him for a bit of luck, or backing out at the start and giving the leaders a huge head start, the draw has given us an early challenge,' Dixon said. The @ladbrokescomau Inter Dominion starts this Saturday at @TheCreekAlbion! Some stellar coverage from the @couriermail this morning on our homegrown superstar Leap To Fame! 🌟 #QLDisRacing — RaceQ (@RaceQLD) July 3, 2025 Opening night over 2138m is also the shortest distance the great stayer Leap To Fame has to contend with in the series. Round two stretches to 2680m on July 12 and the final is over a gruelling 3157m. Most feel the further they go the better for Leap To Fame, but Dixon pointed out he is yet to race beyond 2760m. 'It's like Leap To Fame got the pick the distance of the final,' joked rival Luke McCarthy, who trains and drives defending champion Don Hugo. Dixon is more circumspect: 'You assume he'll like it (3157m), but it is still an unknown. I'd have preferred a 2680m final because we know he thrives at that.' But he admits Leap To Fame, who goes into the series the shortest priced pre-post final favourite in history at $1.30, looks superbly placed against his opposition. 30-metre head start? No problem. LEAP TO FAME launched early, took control, and never looked back. The champ is right on track for ID25 😤ðŸ'° #QLDisRacing — RaceQ (@RaceQLD) June 7, 2025 'Providing he has no bad luck on the way through, it looks his final to lose,' he said. 'You have to respect Don Hugo and a great horseman like Luke (McCarthy), and there's often a horse who emerges through the series, but right now we're clearly the horse to beat.' Having the series at his home track is another huge plus for Leap To Fame. He's raced 42 times at Albion Park for 36 wins, four seconds, a third and a luckless fourth. Leap To Fame hasn't been beaten at the track since a desperately unlucky fourth on November 4, 2023. The six-year-old has won 19 successive starts at Albion Park since.
