Leap To Fame after winning the 2026 Ballarat Cup
Leap To Fame has retained his title as the Australian Harness Horse of the Year to become just the sixth three-time winner of the nation’s highest accolade.
Having become the Southern Hemisphere’s first $5 million pacer last year, the Queensland superstar made it a hattrick of wins after being crowned the Horse of the Year in 2023 and 2024.
He joins King Of Swing (2020, ’21 and ’22), Im Themightyquinn (2011, ’12 and ’13), Blacks A Fake (2007, ’08 and ’10), Our Sir Vancelot (1997, ’98 and ’99) and Westburn Grant (1989, ’91 and ’92) as the only three-time winners.
Unsurprisingly, he was also named the Australian Pacer of the Year, Aged Pacing Horse/Gelding of the Year and the Australian Grand Circuit Champion.
Leap To Fame (Bettors Delight USA – Lettucereason) raced 22 times last year, delivering an incredible 16-5-1 record including banking a record-breaking $1,758,424 in prize money.
A second Inter Dominion crown highlighted his feature wins that also included the $1 Million Race by Betcha in Cambridge and the Group 1 New Zealand Pacing Free-For-All.
The son of Bettors Delight also finished in the placings of the Hunter Cup, Miracle Mile, New Zealand Cup, Victoria Cup and Blacks A Fake.
The Australian Trotter of the Year came down to the wire with Inter Dominion winner Arcee Phoenix narrowly edging out Keayang Zahara.
The Chris Svanosio-trained gelding took his stakes past $1 million last year as he finished with a 6-2-3 record from 16 starts including the $600,000 TAB Trot in Cambridge and the Group 1 Maori Mile in Bendigo.
Arcee Phonex (Trixton US - Justa Phoenix) was also named the Aged Trotter Horse/Gelding of the Year and the Australian Trotting Masters Champion.
Whilst Keayang Zahara missed out on the major trotting award, she was the unanimous choice for the Aged Trotting Mare of the Year.
The J.D Watts Award for the leading Australian Driver went to Victorian young gun James Herbertson for a successive occasion, whilst Queensland’s Grant Dixon also went back-to-back as the leading Australian Trainer.
It is the 10th time Dixon has clinched the J.D Watts Award since 2012, with his father, Bill, also securing a four-peat from 2008 to 2011.
HRA will make a further announcement on the winners of the breeding awards tomorrow.
The 2025 Australian Harness Racing Award winners are:
LAWN DERBY AWARDS - PACERS
Australian Pacer of the Year - Leap To Fame
2YO Pacing Filly of the Year - Wishing Belle
2YO Pacing Colt/Gelding of the Year - Loucasso
3YO Pacing Filly of the Year - Soho Americano
3YO Pacing Colt/Gelding of the Year - Fox Dan
Aged Pacing Horse/Gelding of the Year - Leap To Fame
Aged Pacing Mare of the Year - Eye Keep Smiling
VANCLEVE AWARDS – TROTTERS
Australian Trotter of the Year - Arcee Phoenix
2YO Trotting Filly of the Year - Harperseven
2YO Trotting Colt/Gelding of the Year - Keayang Bazlenka
3YO Trotting Filly of the Year - Tracy The Jet
3YO Trotting Colt/Gelding of the Year - Mecarno
Aged Trotter Horse/Gelding of the Year - Arcee Phoenix
Aged Trotting Mare of the Year - Keayang Zahara
J.D WATTS AWARDS
Australian Driver of the Year – James Herbertson
Australian Trainer of the Year – Grant Dixon
