By Adam Hamilton
Leap To Fame’s long-waited New Zealand Cup raid is in limbo after another defeat in last night’s $250,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton.
Trainer-driver Grant Dixon said the next few days would decide plans.
“That’s two runs down here he hasn’t quite been at his best,” he said. “He seems ok, but his heart rate is higher than normal.
“We’ll see how he is and make a decision on NZ early in the week.”
Leap To Fame was far from disgraced, but laboured into a well-held third placing after doing all the chasing and work outside the leader.
“He just didn’t travel well as he usually would,” Dixon said.
It was the first time in almost two years Leap To Fame has been beaten twice in a row.
It’s also his third attempt at winning the Victoria Cup without success. He ran third in the 2023 Cup, was scratched just days before last year’s race as a hot favourite.
Adding further to the intrigue, there are mixed reports about Swayzee’s hopes of returning to chase a third successive NZ Cup win.
Owner Mick Boots revealed a bowel infection had limited his preparation.
But trainer Jason Grimson said he was confident the champion stayer was back on target.
Grimson also said he planned to take last night’s Victoria Cup runner-up Hi Manameisjeff to Christchurch for the Group 1 NZ free-for-all on Show Day.
The injury plagued Hi Manameisjeff ran blistering times in front and beat all but eventual winner Kingman.
But the night belonged to the Kingman despite a scary moment in the middle stages.
“He jumped a shadow I think. It was heart in your mouth stuff, but thankfully he got straight back down and landed one-one,” trainer-driver Luke McCarthy said.
Kingman sprinted quickly from the one-one to zoom past Leap To Fame, who sat outside the leader, then rundown a gallant Hi Manameisjeff.
“Like when we got King Of Swing from Gary Hall Sr, to get this horse from top trainers (Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin) and win a race like this is such a thrill,” McCarthy said.
Kingman will travel, but it will be to Queensland for the Blacks A Fake in early December.
“He’ll go there and then come back here (Victoria) to chase the bonus through all those Cups, finishing with the Hunter Cup, early next year,” McCarthy said.
“People asked me about the NZ Cup. It’s a bit too soon this year, but he’s big and strong and I’d love to take him next year.
“He’s always had a lot of talent, this horse, I drove him at three, and it’s all coming together for him now.”
The next week will decide whether freakish young Aussie trotting mare Keayang Zahara returns to NZ next month.
Despite her two sparkling wins this campaign, co-trainer Paddy Lee said it was still more likely her much-improved stablemate Jilliby Ballerini will cross the ditch.
“I’m not saying it’s a no for ‘Zahara’, but we will only take one and ‘Ballerini’ is the favourite at this stage,” he said.
“Ballerini has had a bigger and better build-up and a standing-start (race) this campaign.
“It’s only Zahara’s two wins back and how she’s done it that’s made us do some more thinking.”
Arcee Phoenix ran a big race for fifth after coming deep from the rear in the Bill Collins.
He looks back on target for Cup Week.
Tracy The Jet made a statement when she beat arch-rival Gatesys Gem for the first time in last night’s Group 1 Victoria Trotters Oaks.
It was the first time in four clashes Jess Tubbs’ filly had beaten Gatesys Gem.
The pair are headed for the $500,000 The Ascent at Addington on November 14 and then the NZ Trotting Oaks.
This time Tracy The Jet buzzed out to lead from gate three, while Gatesys Gem sat behind her.
Tracy The Jet cruised to a 5.4m win in a 55.8sec last half to make it six wins in a row this campaign.
The Gatesys Gem team believe they can close the gap as she gets fitter.
“We’ve had some setbacks and she’s still building,” trainer Glenn Hunter said. “We always knew she’d be underdone for this race, but hopefully peaking by NZ.”