An uncanny knack of selecting market priced yearlings at the sales and developing them into top racehorses in a relatively short period has underpinned the success of the all-conquering Kevin Seymour and Grant Dixon combination.
Over the past five years Dixon has sourced yearlings from sales conducted in NSW for the Brisbane breeder, owner and benefactor and has uncovered some real gems.
Undoubtedly the best is superstar pacer Leap To Fame, the third richest Australasian standardbred ever and seventh on the all-time list with a whopping $4,070,884 and who is widely regarded as the best horse in the world today.
The 2023 Australian Horse of the Year, Inter Dominion winner and Grand Circuit champion, the charismatic Bettor’s Delight entire was bought for $47,500 at the Australian Pacing Gold Sydney sale in 2020.
Leap To Fame has won 54 of his 67 starts to date.
Tim’s A Trooper, a Tintin In America gelding bought at the same sale by Dixon for $17,000, has banked $458,054 from 15 successes including three at Group level and 34 placings in 87 starts.
Two years later, Dixon purchased two colts on behalf of the Seymour’s at the APG Sydney yearling sale.
One was Air Express, a Sweet Lou gelding who was knocked down for $32,000 and has earned $159,678 from 11 wins including the NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO Final and five placings.
The other colt was Iron Clad (by Art Major), who has banked $144,784, a worthwhile return for the $40,000 paid for him at the sale.
In 2023 the powerful Brisbane combination bought Fate Awaits and Path To Greatness at the Nutrien Equine Sydney yearling sale for $24,000 and $60,000 respectively.
Fate Awaits, an Always B Miki colt, boasts earnings of $621,126 from nine wins in 17 starts including the inaugural $500,000 The Protostar, the $300,000 The Rising Sun and the NSW Breeders Challenge 2YO Final.
While Path To Greatness, a gelding by Captainreacherous, has netted $176,344 from seven wins highlighted up by the $125,000 Nutrien Equine 3YO Sales Classic and The Queensland Sun.
The six yearlings bought by Dixon for Kevin and Kay Seymour have amassed $5,630,870 in stakemoney between them from an outlay of $220,500 – 25 times greater than the initial investment!
