Harness racing: Leap To Fame owner promises to shout the bar if superstar salutes in Group 1 Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park

Leviathan owner Kevin Seymour will channel John Singleton and shout the bar if his superstar Leap To Fame can win the Group 1 Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park.

Kevin Seymour (left) will shout the bar at Albion Park if champion pacer Leap To Fame wins on Saturday night, just like John Singleton famously did when he won the Golden Slipper in 2000.

Leviathan owner Kevin Seymour wants to share his champion pacer Leap To Fame with the people.

And he’s putting his money where his mouth is if the five-year-old snares the 10th Group 1 win of his stellar career in Saturday night’s $200,000 Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park.

Seymour will revive memories of larrikin entrepreneur John Singleton in thoroughbred racing and “shout the bar” trackside at Albion Park for an hour after the race if Leap To Fame posts his 40th win from just 51 starts.

Singleton famously shouted the bar for the first time at Rosehill in 2000 when his filly Belle Du Jour won the Golden Slipper.

“This horse has given us so much joy. He’s the horse Kay and I have dreamed of getting after more than 50 years in the game” Seymour said.

“We want him to be a people’s horse and he’s well on his way to that. We’ve taken him to race at tracks like Cranbourne, Newcastle and Redcliffe.

“Our greatest moment in the sport was at Albion Park when he won the Inter Dominion last December. It’s as happy as Kay’s ever been and as emotional as I’ve been.

“We have and will continue to share him. If that means shouting the bar if he wins the Sunshine Sprint again this week, then we’ll do it.”

An excited Albion Park chairman Greg Mitchell confirmed plans were in place.

“It’s all go. We’ll be putting timer clocks up on the screens for an hour after the Sunshine Sprint, if Leap To Fame wins, Kevin and Kay are shouting the bar …. every bar at the track.” he said.

“They are fantastic supporters of harness racing, especially here in Queensland and they are right behind everything we do here at Albion Park.”

Leap to Fame is a $1.30 favourite to win the Group 1 Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park on Saturday night. Picture: Dan Costello

It will be a major shock if Leap To Fame, who is nearing $3 million in prizemoney, doesn’t win again from a favourable barrier four on Saturday night.

He is $1.30 favourite.

Mitchell said the Seymours support would extend to the club’s biggest meeting of the year, $400,000 Blacks A Fake night, on Saturday week.

“The biggest nights are expensive to run and we have a $20 admission fee, but Kevin and Kay want as many people as possible to come along and watch Leap To Fame and all the great races on the night, so they are subsidising those admissions costs,” he said.

“It’ll be free admission for everyone to come to Blacks A Fake night, thanks to the Seymours.”

Leap To Fame will have to overcome giant-killer District Attorney, the horse who inflicted his only defeat in his past 16 starts, in the Sunshine Sprint.

And, just as he did when he caused the upset in the Patrons Purse at Redcliffe on June 21, District Attorney is drawn to potentially lead early and stalk Leap To Fame.

He is a clear $6 second favourite.

The drop back to a sprint distance is seen by some as a slight query with Leap To Fame, given his greatest asset is his strength and staying prowess.

But it’s worth noting he’s won his past six sprint races, including the Group 1 Miracle Mile.

* Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp

Originally published as Harness racing: Leap To Fame owner promises to shout the bar if superstar salutes in Group 1 Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park