Leap to Fame with Grant & Trista Photo by Stuart McCormick
LEVIATHAN owner Kevin Seymour is breaking a promise to himself so his champion pacer Leap To Fame can race at Melton on Saturday night.
Leap To Fame, a winner of 42 of his 53 starts and over $3.2 million, will have the first of two Melton starts in the $50,000 Smoken Up Sprint. It's a crucial lead-up to the $300,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup a week later.
"I said I'd never do it, travel him by road almost halfway around Australia, but I've been left with no option if I want to support the industry," Seymour said.
A frustrated Seymour and trainer-driver Grant Dixon were left stranded by a lack of plane flights from Brisbane to Melbourne. That's despite committing to spend upwards of $20,0000 for a one-way flight.
"There was no guarantee we'd get a flight next week," Seymour said.
"Victoria has done so much to promote Leap To Fame as their drawcard; I felt I had to do something to get him there for the industry's sake."
"I asked Grant to take him down by road (Wednesday morning). I normally wouldn't contemplate such a trip, but I feel compelled to play our part in helping promote the sport."
"It's also a huge commitment from Grant and Trista (Dixon's wife), and they are to be congratulated for making a special effort."
It's the latest "selfless" act from Seymour and the Dixons, who have previously taken him to regional tracks like Cranbourne, Newcastle, and Redcliffe to race.
There is also unfinished business for Leap To Fame at Melton after he was beaten into third spot – albeit in a tight three-way finish – as a hot favourite in last year's Victoria Cup at his only previous start in the race regarded as the Cox Plate of harness racing.
Incredibly, Leap To Fame has raced 20 times since for 18 wins, including mega races like the Brisbane Inter Dominion, Hunter Cup, Miracle Mile and Blacks A Fake.
He is $1.70 to atone in Saturday week's Victoria Cup.
Dixon was keen to get down to Melton early for another lead-up race, despite Leap To Fame resuming with a blazing Albion Park win last Saturday night.
"We just felt we didn't have him quite as primed as we needed last year and don't want that to happen again, so another race will be ideal," he said.
It will also be a serious hit out, with Leap To Fame drawn awfully outside the front row (gate seven) in the short 1720m Smoken Up Sprint.
His key rivals, who have all drawn better, are headed by eight-time Group 1 winner Catch A Wave (gate two) and boom comeback pacer Captain Ravishing (six).
It will be Leap To Fame's fifth start at Melton and his first at a distance shorter than 2240m. He's won two of his four runs, both in 2760m races (the 2022 Victoria Derby and 2024 Hunter Cup).
