Leap To Fame on another level in Blacks A Fake romp at Albion Park

Leap To Fame stamps himself as one of the greatest Australian pacers of all time with his dominant Blacks A Fake victory at Albion Park on Saturday night … but bigger deeds await the champion later this year.

Grant and Trista Dixon with champion pacer Leap To Fame after the five-year-old’s brilliant Blacks A Fake victory at Albion Park on Saturday night. Picture: Dan Costello

For all his incredible deeds in 2024, the biggest still await champion pacer Leap To Fame later this year.

The Queensland sensation added last Saturday night’s Group 1 Blacks A Fake – the biggest race in his home state – to the Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile crowns he has already won this year.

Leap To Fame still has the $300,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup (October 12), $NZ1 million NZ Cup (November 12) and a defence of his Inter Dominion crown in the $500,000 final at Menangle in December to come this year.

The five-year-old stamped himself as one of the greatest Australian pacers of all-time when he destroyed his rivals in the Blacks A Fake.

His 41st win and his 11th victory at Group 1 level was most dominant yet.

FULL RACE REPLAY - Champion pacer Leap To Fame collected his 11th Group 1 in the Blacks A Fake at @TheCreekAlbion last night! 🏆🏁 pic.twitter.com/j4rGWAT3Ri

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 27, 2024

“He’s got to be right up with any of them (greats of the past) now,” owner Kevin Seymour said. “You didn’t believe me when I said he had that sort of potential and look what he’s done, especially in the past 12 months.”

The win gave him redemption after a shock and controversial defeat by his half-brother Swayzee in last year’s Blacks A Fake.

Last night Swayzee ran second but was comprehensively beaten by Leap To Fame, who endured a much tougher run. Leap To Fame now leads their clashes 3-1.

Fears of barrier one being Leap To Fame’s undoing were quashed early when trainer-driver Grant Dixon extricated himself from a potential pocket.

But then Leap To Fame had to work hard three-wide without cover in a record 74.9sec lead time before eventually finding the spot outside the leader, Hi Manameisjeff.

After Leap To Fame’s torrid run, Swayzee launched a big three-wide run around the field and loomed ominously.

Despite the work he did, Leap To Fame obliterated the track record with a 1min52.8sec mile rate for the long 2680m trip – taking 0.6 off the previous mark.

What a horse.. what a Champion - Leap To Fame smashes his own 2680 metre track record @TheCreekAlbion running 1:52.8 in taking out the Group 1 @ladbrokescomau Blacks A Fake for Grant & Trista Dixon pic.twitter.com/cRaTdalJyX

— Dan Costello (@DanRacingWrap) July 27, 2024

“He was incredible tonight. He was there to be beaten, but he just kept giving when I asked,” Dixon said.

Leap To Fame will have a short freshen-up and skip the Group 1 Len Smith Mile in September to focus on the Victoria Cup, a race he finished a close third in last year.

The Blacks A Fake triumph capped a fairytale night for Kevin and Kay Seymour and Grant and Trista Dixon after they also won the inaugural $500,000 Protostar with Fate Awaits.

It was a magnificent training performance by the Dixons after Fate Awaits disappointed in his final lead-up run a week earlier.

Greatness and resilience.
Leap To Fame’s Blacks A Fake win came at his 23rd start since finishing 2nd in the race last year.
And … it was his seventh start since June 1.
He’s won 17 of his past 18 (and 41 of 52 lifetime).
He’s won almost $3.2mil and still just 5yo.

— Adam Hamilton (@AdamHSport) July 27, 2024

“They’re not machines and he had an off night last week, but Grant said he’d had a great week in between and we went in with some confidence from the draw,” Seymour said.

“Winning big races here at Albion Park is special and to be part of history and win the first Protostar, a race I think is a magnificent thing for the sport, is very special.

“It’s also fantastic to team with the Ladbrokes Racing Club and their slot and see all these happy people from the club enjoying the thrill of harness racing, many of them for the first time.”

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

Originally published as Leap To Fame on another level in Blacks A Fake romp at Albion Park