Dixon thrilled with Hunter Cup barrier draw

Luck is finally starting to turn for Australia’s best harness racing pacer, Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight), in the biggest races.

After being plagued by awful barrier draws for so long, the Queensland sensation drew almost ideally in gate six for Saturday night’s $450,000 Group 1 Hunter Cup (2760m) at Melton. He will move into five if the emergency Cantfindabettorman doesn’t get a start from one.

“I’m really happy with that,” Leap To Fame’s trainer-driver Grant Dixon said. “It’s a lot better than he’s had for much of the past year or so.”

“But Catch A Wave is the other one who grabs my eye. He’s drawn two (and could come into one). It’s a perfect draw to get a soft run and be dangerous for such a fast horse like him.”

“If I can work forward and get the lead, he will probably be behind me, and I’d have to be really mindful of that. He’s explosive, whereas my horse is fast but builds into his speed.”

Leap To Fame firmed from $1.50 to $1.35 after the draw, while Catch A Wave was crunched from $14 to $6.

Dixon said Leap To Fame was due to arrive in Melbourne from Brisbane late tonight.

“It’ll probably be 3 am (tomorrow) by the time he gets to his stable down here,” he said. “But it’s great to be able to fly him down rather than come by road.”

Leap To Fame posted his 30th win from just 40 starts when he cruised to victory at Albion Park last Saturday night.

“I’m glad we had those two lead-up runs at home because the Hunter Cup is a tough 2760m race,” Dixon said.

“I didn’t ask too much of him last Saturday because it was a really hot night, but he’s come through it really well.”

Buzz Kiwi raider Don’t Stop Dreaming was one of a few key runners who didn’t fare as well in the draw.

Mark Purdon’s young star, who grabbed the eye with a fantastic second in the Casey Classic at Melton last Saturday, will have to come from the back row (gate 10) to win what is by far his biggest test.

“That’s made things harder, especially with Leap To Fame and Catch A Wave drawn so well,” Purdon said.

Purdon is chasing his third Hunter Cup win, having saluted with Smolda (2015) and Lazarus (2018).

“It’s great to be back in these big (Victorian) Group 1’s,” he said. “It’s been such a big part of my career coming across and trying to win at Melton and Moonee Valley before that.”

Star Victorian pacer Better Eclipse, who ran second to Leap To Fame in last month’s Brisbane Inter Dominion final, faces a big task from a horror draw outside the front row (gate seven).

There will be plenty of interest early, with Catch A Wave having so much speed from an inside draw, but NSW pair Taipo (gate three) and Cya Art (five) also have good early speed. Emerging Victoria Curly James (four) is also renowned for his early dash.

Another highlight of Saturday night will be champion trotter Just Believe’s quest to defend his Great Southern Star crown.

The quirk of the race is that it consists of two qualifying heats early in the night into the final two hours later.

Just Believe faces a real test as the lone back row runner (gate nine) in his heat, especially with arch-rival and star mare Queen Elida drawn (four).

HUNTER CUP BARRIER DRAW

Front row: Cantfindabettorman (emerg), Catch A Wave, Taipo, Curly James, Cya Art, Leap To Fame, Better Eclipse.

Back row: Max Delight, Spirit Of St Louis, Don’t Stop Dreaming, Beyond Delight, Mach Dan, Kanena Provlima.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Australia