Harness
Leap To Fame Can Seal Greatness with New Zealand Trotting Cup Victory
Aussie champ Leap To Fame can seal his place among the greats with victory in the New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington on Tuesday.
The Queensland star is one of two Australian-trained pacers in the time-honoured standing start event, joined by his recent Victoria Cup conqueror Kingman.
Leap To Fame has two Inter Dominion crowns, a Miracle Mile and a Hunter Cup on his resume and has already successfully ventured to New Zealand, winning The Race at Cambridge in May.
But success in Tuesday's 3200m marathon – considered one of the toughest tests in this part of the world – would secure his place among the legends.
The six-year-old shrugged off a couple of rare defeats – including the Victoria Cup third - to find winning form at Melton in his last outing before crossing the Tasman.
He is proven at the standing start and his front row draw should allow him to push forward, pour on the pressure and make it a test of stamina.
That is a role he has relished in the past and should see him hard to beat he turns up in his very best order.
Kingman showed how far he's come in his Victoria Cup victory, his fifth win in seven starts since joining Luke McCarthy.
His draw could prove tricky and the trip across the Tasman, a standing start and a rise in distance are all new challenges but he is the one on the up.
Republican Party looks the best of the Kiwi hopes. He has been the dominant force in the local lead ups, making it three straight with his last start Ashburton Flying Stakes win.
He'll need to step up again to beat the Aussie raiders but he placed in last year's cup and got very close to Leap To Fame when they clashed in the Hunter Cup in February.
She has been a revelation in Australia this season, winning 10 of 13 starts this campaign.
She pushed her star stablemate Keayang Zahara when runner-up at G1 level in the Bill Collins Sprint at Melton two back and was dominant in the Maryborough Cup since.
It's her first try at the distance but if she can step away cleanly a low draw should give her every chance.
Inter Dominion winner Arcee Phoenix is taking a while to find his best this time in but won the TAB Trot in his last trip to NZ earlier this year.
He has ground to make up on Jilliby Ballerini on their last clash but he is a better horse than when fourth in last year's Dominion trot and should be peaking.
Gus and Parisian Artiste each have a tricky draw to overcome but both showed during July's Inter Dominion series that they can mix it at the top level.
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