Leap to stardom

He has won three of Australian harness racing’s major Derby features but the season is far from over for Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight).

The three-year-old colt added another feather to his cap winning the $200,000 Victoria Derby at Melton tonight (Oct. 8) having already won the New South Wales Derby and the Queensland Derby.

However, despite the monstrous year, another Group 1 is just around the corner for Leap To Fame with the NSW Breeders Challenge his next test.

Leap To Fame won his heat of the Breeders Challenge in track record time at Tamworth on September 8 when rating 1:54.3 and will go straight into the semi finals at Menangle on October 22.

He rated one-tenth of a second slower to win tonight’s Derby clocking 1:54.4 – a race record for the feature since it has been run over the 2760m distance.

And Leap To Fame did it all himself, leading all of the way from barrier five.

Driver Grant Dixon made it a true staying test and with the race favourite Captain Ravishing on his outside, he let Leap To Fame roll through the sectionals in 28.8, 28.8, 27.5 and 28.7 seconds.

The winning margin was more than seven metres with Ripp in second and Interest Free in third.

DERBY DELIGHT!
Grant Dixon trained-and-driven Leap To Fame adds the Downbytheseaside Victoria Derby to his New South Wales and Queensland derbies with a stunning 1:54.4 victory in the three-year-old classic! pic.twitter.com/81ItoKuyDr

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) October 8, 2022

“We love him to bits and hope we can take him all the way,” said Dixon on TrotsVision.

“I think he ticks all the boxes . . . great manners and great gait and great speed.

“Obviously we had the draw, which helped and it was great to get the job done.”

This success made Leap To Fame the highest-earning three-year-old in Australia for the season, extending his earnings to $346,231 for the year.

For complete race results and replays, click here.

by Amanda Rando, for Harnesslink