Harness
Victoria Cup Night Preview - Saturday, October 18
Does a shock last-start defeat and a horror draw on the inside of the back row mean champion pacer Leap To Fame is vulnerable again?
That's the question punters will be asking ahead of Saturday night's intriguing Victoria Cup at Melton.
The star Queenslander was considered an almost certainy for the Victoria Cup until he was beaten in his final lead-up run in last week's Smoken Up Sprint, gunned down at a quote of $1.06 by outsider Bulletproof Boy.
His cup bid was thrown further into query when he came up with a tricky marble at the barrier draw, one that will mean he may be relying on luck to ensure some racing room.
But Leap To Fame has a knack of overcoming less than ideal draws, as he did in all three rounds of July's Inter Dominion series.
The Victoria Cup is one major the champ has yet to win but he has been the best pacer in this country for years now and was only second-up last week so the hitout should have topped him off.
He invariably finds a way to win but Kingman presents as a real danger.
He's always shown talent but is fully mature now, recording his fourth win from his last six starts when defeating Swayzee at Menangle last time.
He has a consistent record at the circuit and distance and the draw suits.
Hi Manameisjeff has been racing well from wide barriers in Sydney - just missing the hat trick last start - so can be competitive from a low draw.
Eureka winner Bay Of Biscay will need luck from the back row but could be ready to tackle the majors now while Catch A Wave relished a good draw to win the Casey Classic last start and gets another one.
She was back to her winning ways when resuming last week, going back from a wide draw before rounding them up to score by 6m. She should only be better for the outing and with a lower draw and the drop to a distance where she is unbeaten she looks the likely winner again.
Jilliby Ballerini continued her ascension when winning the Australasian Trotting Championship at this circuit last time out, her ninth win in 11 starts so far this campaign. It's a big drop in distance but she strikes at 50 per cent at it and she is well served by the low draw.
Inter Dominion champ Arcee Phoenix cops a tough barrier and may prefer to be going up in distance rather than down but he is building in fitness.
Derek The Jet will be fitter for his first outing in a year and a good draw could see him more competitive while Parisian Artiste cops a tricky draw but did well to return to winning form in Sydney last start.
The inside draw should give Eureka runner-up Fox Dan his chance in the Victoria Derby.
He came from the back row and worked before winning last week's heat, his first attempt at this distance. That stretched his winning run at Melton to four and it was his first hitout for five weeks so he should be better for it.
He has the gate a speed to take advantage of the inside draw so could be hard to get past.
Hesitate was close to Fox Dan when placed in The Eureka and chased him again when third last week but he drew on the back row and worked there so the effort to be beaten 3.3m had merit. A better draw gives him the chance to turn the tables.
Sao Paulo Simba may need some luck from the back row but he is in form at the right time, completing a winning hat trick in last week's heat.
Final Deadline draws wide again but he is talented and on the up so is worth including along with Storms Collide who cops a tough draw but is in form.
Soho Americano showed her class by winning the Queensland Oaks over the winter and has been good in two starts since a spell, beaten only 2m by older mares first up in Sydney before racing parked for second in her heat last week.
She has won third-up before so she'll be nearing her peak and hasn't missed a place at Melton.
Beach Diamond made it four from four this time in when leading to beat Soho Americano last week. The back row draw creates more of a challenge but she has won from there before.
Golden Shooz continued her good form in last week's heat, landing her third win from her last four starts. That was her first try at the distance and she could be ready for this level.
Let Her Roll should be close to her peak after seconds in both starts since a spell and she has won six of eight attempts at Melton while a front row draw brings the consistent Soap And Bubbles into contention.
The fifth Group 1 on the program is the Victoria Trotters Oaks where two gun fillies renew their rivalry.
Gatesys Gem gets the inside draw and beat Tracy The Jet when they last clashed with a one-two finish in the NSW Oaks in May but the latter is a better filly now and has won all five starts since.
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