By Adam Hamilton
It was the biggest upset at Melton in decades.
Leap To Fame’s stunning defeat last night rekindled memories of the night Courage Under Fire’s unbeaten streak came to an end at Moonee Valley on January 22, 2000.
It was just Leap To Fame’s 14th defeat in 71 career starts and his first in his past 10 starts.
Things looked good in the run when Grant Dixon was able to quickly work around and take Leap To Fame to the lead.
But the first worrying signs came when Dixon had to really shake-up the champ on the home bend.
Just after fighting off Miki Pins, who trailed him, remarkable veteran Bulletproof Boy unleashed a huge finishing burst from three pegs and snatched victory right on the line.
It was a superb training performance from Scott Ewen with the rising 11-year-old Bulletproof Boy at his first run back from a spell.
While it’s just one run, Leap To Fame’s defeat has certainly given hope to his rivals in next week’s Victoria Cup and next month’s IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup.
X X X
Keayag Zahara’s breathtaking first-up win may force connections to rethink NZ Cup Week plans.
The trip was a real longshot before the awesome four-year-old mare reminded everyone just how good she is with last night’s mesmerizing Dullard Cup win.
While Inter Dominion and TAB Trot winner Arcee Phoenix led, Keayang Zahara was last and 40m off the lead with a lap to run.
It didn’t matter.
Keayang Zahara sustained an 800m sprint, in a sub-55sec split, to run straight past Arcee Phoenix and win running away by almost six metres.
It was her 16th win from just 17 starts and her first run since being for the first time when second at Menangle on May 10.
Driver Jason Lee stressed how much improvement she still had to come.
She’s now set to back-up in next Saturday night’s Group 1 Bill Collins Sprint and another win will surely make Addington almost irresistible.
She would take what looks like an already amazing Cup Week to another level.
X X X
Kiwi raider Joyride found the task of sitting parked for much of the race beyond her in a heat of the Victoria Oaks last night.
In a peg dominated race, she tired late for fifth behind Jess Tubb’s emerging filly Golden Shooz, who trailed leader and favourite Let Her Roll and easily ran her down late.
The Cran Dalgety-trained Joyride still qualified for next Saturday’s final.
In the first heat, Beach Diamond led throughout to beat a gallant Soho Americano in a real sprint home with closing splits of 54.3 and 27.7sec.
X X X
TAB Eureka runner-up Fox Dan looks the hardest to beat in a strong Victoria Derby after last night’s three qualifying heats.
The colt joined the underrated Storms Collide to give Emma Stewart and young gun driver Ryan Sanderson the first two heat wins.
Former Victorian and now Menangle-based Mick Stanley added some spice to the series when he led throughout on the untapped San Paolo Simba to easily win the third heat.
“He’s as good a horse as I’ve had since Rock N Roll Doo burst onto the scene,” Stanley said.
Of the beaten brigade, My Ultimate Barney and Hesitate were solid in heat one, Fate Awaits and the very tough Captain Perfect ran well in heat two, while Final Deadline and Cigano were solid in heat three.
X X X
Former Kiwi marvel Minstrel looked as sharp as ever posting his 28th win in a powerhouse Gloucester Park free-for-all last Friday night.
Second-up from a spell and able to work to the front, the rising nine-year-old never looked in danger as he cruised to a 5.6m win over fellow former Kiwi pacer Gee Heza Sport in a 1min54.9sec mile rate for 2130m.
Minstrel blasted home in 55.2 and 26.7sec, making it impossible for the stars coming wide from midfield and chasing in Mister Smartie (third) and Never Ending (fourth).
Despite his age, Minstrel looks on target to win his second WA Pacing Cup at his fifth start in WA’s most iconic race. He won last year, ran third in 2023, seventh in 2022 and fifth in 2021.
The $450,000 Group 1 WA Pacing Cup is at Gloucester Park on December 12.
